MADNESS IN VALENCIA To 6 March.

London.

MADNESS IN VALENCIA
by Lope de Vega Translated by David Johnston.

Transferred to Trafalgar Studios (Studio 2) To 6 March 2010.
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Thu & Sat 3pm.
Runs 2hr 15min One interval.

TICKETS: 020 7793 9193
www.whitebear
Review: Timothy Ramsden 13 August at White Bear Theatre Club.

Pace rather than focus is this production’s strong point.
One-man Spanish play factory Lope de Vega (born two years before and dying nearly two decades after Shakespeare, writing reputedly almost 2,000 plays) seems to have acquired extra theatricality on his way to the White Bear.

Lope’s comedy’s set in Valencia’s madhouse, which has a reputation as good as its practice seems imperfect. Two inmates claim to be Don Quixote and Cervantes, but they’re keeper Pisano’s trusted allies. Most others are feigning madness. Valerio is banged-up at his friend Floriano’s suggestion to hide after apparently killing a prince.

A lady, Erifila, has eloped with her servant, only to discover his passion is for her possessions. Left de-jewelled and debagged, rather than deflowered, she finds her way to the asylum. Love leads local lady Fedra to the appearance of insanity. From this Lope leads a farcical action before a last-act straightening-out based on the usual coincidence and unlikely revelations.

Simon Evans’s production for Black and White Rainbow theatre company, indicates the asylum by a gangly cage where dangerously-behaving inmates are confined. Its first occupant, before the action begins, is the author. His hair attended to, he’s still a creature fit for confinement, handing the actors their parts through the cage.

And when serving-woman Laida’s left alone at the otherwise happy ending she calls for a revision of the last scene. Played somewhat like a line-run, it culminates in a conclusion that brings happiness for all. The madness of theatre joins Lope’s madness of love; another lunatic, lover and poet trio all-compacted of imagination.

That still leaves a lot of plot in a play needing only a few doors and windows to veer towards farce. Evans sets a lively pace and has a good sense of where he wants the action to go. When his performers deliver, as with Jonathan Christie’s Valerio, William Belchambers’ Floriano or Kathryn Beaumont’s Erifilia, the production swings along. Others need more precision, and at times reining-in, though David Frias-Robles shows comic ability as Leonato, the perfidious servant. But the production really should provide him with different contents for his luggage when he becomes the entirely separate Liberto.

Floriano: William Belchambers.
Valerio: Jonathan Christie.
Leonato/Liberto: David Frias-Robles.
Erifilia: Kathryn Beaumont.
Pisano: Laurence Fuller.
Thomas: David Wade.
Martin: James Canvin.
Fedra: Alicia Grace Turrell.
Laida: Elizabeth Webster.
Sancho: Peter Mann.
Gentleman: Andrew David.

Director: Simon Evans.
Designer: Kate Matthews.
Assistant director: David Brown.
Assistant designer: Clara-Louise Wall.

2009-08-15 10:23:19