bath drama – devizine.com

by Mick Brian
images from Lauren Arena-McCann

The playwright Tom Stoppard is probably best known for his work “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead”, his absurdist comedy based around Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. Equally absurd is his country house murder mystery “The Real Inspector Hound” which has no cough resemblance to Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap”. A lesser known work of Stoppard’s, though no less absurd, is “Travesties” which has more than large hints and homages to Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” that is set in Zurich in 1917 and features such prominent people of the day as Lenin, James Joyce and Tristan Tzara.

“Travesties” is to be performed by Bath Drama at the Rondo Theatre, Larkhall, Bath next week from Wednesday 8^th to Saturday 11^th at 7.30pm.

Henry Carr, a somewhat confused and muddled old man, relates his experiences as a British Consular official in Zurich 1917, kept abreast of current affairs by his butler Bennet, who it is clear has an interesting past of his own. Carr’s topsy-turvy memoirs interweave a social group consisting of the author of Ulysses, the founder of the Bolsheviks and the co-founder of the Dada movement set again the background of World War One and the Russian revolution. Amongst the turmoil we meet two young women keen on love in a confusing triangle of obfuscated names.

Jim McCauley directs this masterpiece in daftness, being a lifelong admirer of this play, more than ably abetted by Lauren Arena-McCann and the two of them have created a truly Stoppardian maelstrom – you’ll need to stay awake and concentrate to keep up as the characters deal with mislaid writings, revolutionary plans, mismatched trousers, library etiquette, court cases, Charleston dances and limericks.

Henry Carr is played by Andrew Chapman, wonderfully portraying a confused old man and a younger, somewhat bemused Consul with a wonderful delivery and brilliant comic timing; his acting is of course thoroughly ernest (no, not Ernest – the other one). Carr’s love interest, Cecily Carruthers is played by Amy Smith, all strict demureness until her passions are roused by a decadent nihilist. Amy totally nails Cecily’s prim but not-so-proper presentation and is another whose comic timing is sublime.

His Butler, Bennet, played by Ian Diddams is a gentleman’s not-so-gentle man who it seems has far more going on than his – mostly – calm exterior may indicate… Ian encapsulates Bennet’s complex history and presence excellently, and – three witches like – is seemingly omnipresent.

Cecily’s partner in crime as young women forging new socio-political paths is Sophie Turner as the Wilde-ly in love Gwendolen, but her pièce de résistance is as the straight woman to the most complex scenes which she effectively leads.

Gwendolen’s love interest, Tristan Tzara is portrayed by Jem Andrews, nonchalance and devil-may-care superbly louchely played, with and without monocle. Jem’s comic timing – again! – is superb and his interactions with Carr encapsulate multiple moods and attitudes easily.

Now, we mustn’t forget here James Joyce,
A man with an Irish voice,
Played here by Felix Byrne
Who gives us a great turn
As an actor in which we rejoice.

Which leaves us with Mr and Mrs Ulyanov. Also known as Lenin. Sam Fynn as ever pours his heart and soul into his portrayal, as shown by his dedication to learn the correct pronunciation of the Russian he speaks in his role. I’d put a quid on him. Imogens Notshaw portrays Lenin’s wife as narrator of their lives and dedicated partner… she too studied the Russian she speaks and whilst the “straightest” of characters in the play has a powerful presence throughout.

Tech as ever is provided by Alex Latham, with Connor Palmer as Stage Manager and Penny Clegg as his ever able assistant, with the ever brilliant Rich Canning as set design, costumes by Scarlett Hayler-King and Bath Theatrical with wardrobe support from Chloe Harris.

So come on along to the Rondo theatre to learn far more than you imagined about 1917 in Switzerland and Russia … or then again… not.

Tickets from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre/travesties/e-pvmvgv

Noel Coward is probably best known for “Blithe Spirit” but he in fact wrote sixty-five stage plays over a fifty year period. Bath Drama this week perform his excellent “Design for Living” – a comedy about a menage-a-trois, complicated by a fourth relationship set in Paris, London, and New York.

What is the secret to a successful community theatre show? It’s quite a simple answer in many ways – talented actors, inspired direction, dedicated crew all working to a vision. Topped off with an intimate space to share it all in. Bath Drama and the Rondo Theatre deliver this equation sublimely… from the wonderful sets, beautiful costumes, brilliant lighting, and the ability to be almost on stage with the action… for those in the front row in particular one is sitting in Otto, Leo, and Ernest’s abodes.

Three of the principals – Gilda (Elisabeth Calvert), Otto (Toby Skelton) and Leo (Richard Watkins) share a turbulent three way relationship – viewed afar with some consternation by the fourth principal, Ernest (Iowerth Mitchell). Ernest is also friends with the trio, but far more platonically. The story moves between Gilda’s affections at any one period; firstly with Otto, then with Leo, then with Ernest, until the play’s dénouement when the three embrace their shared loves and Ernest disowns them all.

Elisabeth Calvert as Gilda drives the show – she is on stage for the majority of the two and a half hour show (with over a thousand lines!). The entire story in many ways is about her inability to commit and/or her easily swayed attractions; she is also the instigator of all the arguments with her lover at any time hinting at a lack of happiness deep inside.

The one relationship in the play that Coward had to downplay when it was written in 1932 was the homosexual one between Otto and Leo. Even in today’s far more liberated times the dialogue still lends itself to a demure portrayal and little more than heavy hints that the two chaps in Gilda’s absence have a thing going on. A few draped limbs here, a shared pair of pyjamas there, and a liberal use of the word “gay” as a double entendre (I only learned today the term for homosexual was first widely used in the 1930s amongst the gay community!). Toby Skelton and Richard Watkins portray this subtle yet intense relationship supremely well, infinitely comfortable in each other’s company and arms.

The supporting cast is no less excellent – Lucy Perry a blaze of door slamming energy on stage as her portrayal of the clumsy Miss Hodge the domestic contrasts superbly with the subtle, suave sophistication of the principals. Tim Carter doubles-up as a photographer and the monied New Yorker husband of Lauren Arena-McCann as the Carver couple, while Lauren also doubles-up Miss Birbeck a reporter. More double-ups as Lucy a.k.a. Miss Hodge also plays the rather more up market Grace Torrence, with her dee-lart-furl Southern drawl. Segueing nicely in this review, Jim McCauley plays Matthew the somewhat stressed New York Butler to Ernest, as well as being Assistant to Gill Morrell as Director.

The set is delightful – simple yet elegantly portraying with not a little panache a studio in Paris, a flat in London and a suite in New York – step forward and take a bow to set crew Rich Canning (who else!), David Wood, Miriam Zaccarelli and Connor Palmer. The scene shifts between the three abodes are technical – which is a subtle way of saying they are long. However – this is not a negative; the choreography between the stage crew of Connor Palmer, James Dennis and Ellen Read is a delight to behold in itself more than ably abetted by the quite stunning 1920s soundtrack. Costumes by Scarlett Hayler-King and the cast were beautifully elegant … and of course, there was Miss Hodge’s rather more prosaic home help clobber 😊 Finally, but by no means least, Alex Latham provided tech as smoothly on the outside as we have all come to expect.

This is an exquisitely written play, performed well and is more than worthy of your attendance. “Design for Living” is performed at the Rondo Theatre from October 2^nd-5^th 2024.

Tickets from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre/design-for-living/e-vllzbb