LEONCE & LENA. To 11 February.
London
LEONCE & LENA
by Georg Buchner
Tabard Theatre 2 Bath Road Turnham Green W4 1LW
Tue-Sat 8pm Sun 3pm
Runs 1hr 40min No interval
TICKETS: 08701 696805
www.tabardtheatre.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 25 January
Rare outing for worth-seeing play.
In his short (1813-1837) life Georg Buchner famously wrote Danton’s Death, a long love-letter to the French revolutionary who typified emotional generosity, as opposed to the dessicated Robespierre’s remorseless principle. Even more famously, Buchner almost wrote Woyzeck whose fragmentary scenes have intrigued directors ever since - it’s a rare example of a play that’s visited the Barbican’s international theatre seasons in productions from 2 continents.
Less famously, he wrote Leonce and Lena, apparently as a comedy. In this (anonymous) translation at least, it comes close to being a chortle-free zone. Yet this is still a fascinating chance to see the play; anyone interested in European dramatic styles should take the chance to see a piece which both inhabits early-19th century German Romanticism and can seem ferociously modern. Jarry’s Ubu, Brecht’s political theatre and 20th-century experiments in non-naturalism all lie waiting within Buchner’s creation.
As does the human/automaton theme which the growth of cities would bring to cinema in the likes of Metropolis or Things to Come. The characters rise from the floor at the start of Lydia Ziemke’s expressive production, masked and moving like wind-up toys. This opening’s significance becomes clear during the action, with its tradition-bound court, clogged with ritual round a doddering king, for whom philosophy is semi-understood verbiage and a substitute for action.
The Tabard’s small stage is surrounded by satin-like curtains, suggesting characters cosseted in inaction. At one point a swift sound and quick fluttering of the curtains suggests the kind of energetic movement Prince Leonce can only wonder at as he lies languidly on the floor.
It’s only Will Beer’s wild-card Valerio who makes things move. His separation from the inert court-world’s signalled by his use of the auditorium door and sitting perkily, pecking at a bun, in the aisle. Beer provides an energy that might infect others too. The playing’s in an often-used modern style, economical in vocal resources, emphasising thought more than emotion. But it needs an underlying energy not always apparent here.
Still, it’s a brave choice of play: yet again London’s Fringe puts larger companies to shame in terms of repertoire.
Leonce: Theo Cross
Lena: Kate Donmall
Valerio: Will Beer
Governess: Susanna Fiore
King Peter: David Morley-Hale
Rosetta/Schoolmistress: Tara Siddall
Master of Ceremonies: Will Tosh
President: Richard Crawley
Director/Designer: Lydia Ziemke
Lighting: Kate Myran
2007-01-29 09:44:41