A FINE BALANCE. To 19 May.

London/Tour

A FINE BALANCE

based on the novel by Rohinton Mistry adapted by Sudha Bhuchar and Kristine Landon-Smith

Hampstead Theatre To 21 April
Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Mats Wed 2.30pm & Sat 3.00pm
then Tour to 19 May 2007
Runs 2hr 10min One interval

TICKETS: 020 7722 9301
www.hampsteadtheatre.com
Review: Harriet Davis 11th April

Ample novel makes crowded play.
Based on the Booker short-listed novel by Rohinton Mistry, Sudha Bhuchar and Kristine Landon-Smith’s adaptation leaves a lot to be desired. Between 1975 and 1977 President Fakhruddin, advised by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, declared a State of Emergency. All elections were suspended, and civil liberties suffered as a result. Mistry’s dense novel centres on those worst affected; the slum-dwellers, workers and beggars, many of whom lost not only their livelihoods, but their lives.

The tremendous scope of the novel poses a difficult question: where to begin? Instead of attempting to mould Mistry’s ideas into a manageable, coherent structure, Bhuchar and Landon-Smith opt to include everything, sacrificing a strong narrative for a string of disjointed (albeit, tenuously linked) storylines. Consequently, the production feels crowded. The cast of eight battle their way through numerous characters, without a chance to fully develop those which we ought to feel closest to.

In addition, the crucial characters – two tailor-come-beggars and a reformed sweatshop owner - often feel stereotypical. Dina Dinal (Sudhar Bhuchar) is a middle-aged widow desperate to make ends meet, and yet because we are never sure what drives her – or where her strength comes from – we never fully relate to her. Similarly, the two tailors, who undergo an epic psychological journey, are not given enough time to complete it. There are significant gaps in their development; it feels rushed, and therefore does not ring true.

Despite this, there are several stand-out moments. The opening image of a legless beggar addressing the audience is a powerful one, which later becomes a motif. The use of puppets is also effective. Sometimes, startlingly so; at one stage the puppet of a four-year-old girl is hoisted onto a wooden stick for the audience’s amusement; a twisted, desperate gesture that embodies the growing sense of despair - and precipitates the onslaught of violence.

There is excellent, atmospheric music from Felix Cross and a great set by Sue Mayes, but the overall lack of focus robs this production of any genuine impact.

Cast: Sudha Bhuchar, Saikat Ahamed, Sagar Arya, Rina Fatania, Taylan Halici, Tony
Jayawardena, Divian Ladwa, Amit Sharma

Director: Kristine Landon-Smith
Designer: Sue Mayes
Lighting: Natasha Chivers
Sound: Mike Furness
Composer: Felix Cross
Choreographer: Lawrence Evans

2007-04-16 00:34:50