FOUR NIGHTS IN KNARESBOROUGH: Till 6 March
Four Nights in Knaresborough: Paul Webb
New Vic
Newcastle Under Lyme
Runs: 2hrs. 1 Interval: 20 minutes
Box Office 01782 717962
Till Sat 6th March 2004
Review: Ranjit Khutan 20th February 2004
Emotionally charged: and effective, enjoyable and dark comedy
It's 1170 and on instruction from King Henry II, four knights murder Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. Following the nations outrage and on reflection of what was perhaps not one of their best career moves they take refuge in a Yorkshire castle waiting for the situation to calm down.
Paranoia and bitterness sets in as the tension of being hidden away eats away at them and forces them to consider whether the foiled arrest attempt that led to them assassinate Tomas Becket may indeed have satisfied his craving for martyrdom.
Gwenda Hughes directs: she encourages contrasting performances in a way that allows the energy in this pressured environment to bounce off each player and back into the theatre space. It adds exciting and effective layers of emotion throughout the play.
Nick Haverson is whiny yet likeable in his portrayal of the over confident, over sexed Brito. As an audience we falsely believe we are always ahead of him in understanding the situation; Haverson's performance gives us no reason to disbelieve him. Andy Hockley's Traci is equally likeable a level headed man who is in love with Brito, failing to see that he is really just infatuated by his confidence and bravado.
However, Brito is in love with someone else Catherine. Alison Darling's Catherine is sombre and quiet largely expressionless until a scene where we are left wondering what horrors the local people subject her to when she is accused of witchcraft. Jonathan Coote is firm and consistent in providing the darker undertones through Moorville that offsets Brito's overt expressions. Sean O'Callaghan's portrayal of Fitz is also strong and confident as he closely observes the events and leads the group.
Traci's unrequited love leading to discovery of infatuation that is going nowhere between him and Brito are sensitively and beautifully played out by Haverson and Hockley, as are the suppressed emotions that lead to outbursts of feeling by Coote's Moorville. Bawdy humour and strong language give this play a modern feel: the ending, though. tries to answer too much and the play's structure begins to crumble.
Paul Webb's play explores the politics and philosophy of the time - on sex, faith, life, illness and death. These are often shown in uneasy combination but lead to a highly effective and enjoyable dark comedy.
Becket, Wigmore & John the visitor: David Bowen
Moreville: Jonathan Coote
Catherine: Alison Darling
Brito: Nick Haverson
Traci: Andy Hockley
Fitz: Sean O'Callaghan
Boy:George Hodson / Callum Forester-O'Neill
Director: Gwenda Hughes
Designer: Mathew Wright
Lighting Designer: Jo Dawson
Fight Director: Kate Waters
Sound Designer: James Earl-Davis
2004-02-23 19:57:15