I CAUGHT MY DEATH IN VENICE. To 4 October.
Chichester
I CAUGHT MY DEATH IN VENICE
by The Brothers Marquez
Minerva Theatre In rep to 4 October 2003
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Thu & Sat 2.15pm
BSL Signed 10 September, 18 September 2.15pm
Runs 1hr 50min One interval
TICKETS: 01243 781312
www.cft.org.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 8 September
I lost the will to live in Chichester.This is not so much the culmination of Chichester's season-themes (Venice and cross-cultural meetings) as its coda. A tail-piece I'd gladly lop off. John and Martin Marquez are both strong actors: on the basis of this piece they should be urged not to give up the night job.
Apparently the M freres have a circus in Venice. We meet various couplings on their way to perform. Occasionally, there's some minor drollery among this drooling - like the Brummie strongmen who spend so much time by their dumb-bells musing on life they miss doing their act. There's wry irony in these he-men braining it away as the brawn remains unexploited.
Occasional moments wryly reflect realities the naïve young man who achieves his ambition by getting a circus job even if it's only clearing the animal ordure. Why not? His father's repeatedly told him he's shit. There's quiet pride in his brief guided tour: this is where I work, that's the rest.
But it's a thin crop. There's a generous sprinkling, these days, of actors with circus skills. None are displayed here. There's a whole crop of performers with physical and mime expertise. By the side of their work, the Marquez' occasional prancing is faintly embarrassing.
This lack of skills on display restricts the whole thing to cut-offs (the climactic 'Drop of Death' is a blackout) and the wryness already noted. It's a cover for the soon-apparent fact they're never going to do anything circus-like. Juggling? No. High-wire? Forget it. Lion-taming? Well, a lion-tamer comes unstuck offstage as a sound-effect. But a moment's reflection on how a good physical actor could create the scene complete with imaginary lion - before our very eyes shows what's missing.
Given that the characters, such as they are, remain unexplored, there's little left too little for even a fraction of the length this show runs on.
What was Chichester thinking of? Had anyone seen a script? A scenario even? Or was this just the downside of a deal to bring two fine actors in for the summer? We'll probably never know. Nor care.
Cast: John Marquez, Martin Marquez
Director: Martin Duncan
Designer: Ashley Martin-Davis
Lighting: Chris Scott
Sound: Gregory Clarke
2003-09-22 16:26:48