MARY ROSE. To 1 September.
Edinburgh Fringe 2007
MARY ROSE
by J M Barrie.
Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storyteling Centre 43-45 High St EH1 1SR To 1 September 2007.
Daily 3pm.
Runs 2hr 20min One interval.
TICKETS: 0131 566 9579 or Fringe BO 01341 226 0000.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 26 August.
Mary Rose outclasses Mary Rose.
Mary Rose stands alongside What Every Woman Knows as runner-up to Peter Pan as J M Barrie’s best-known play. While Every Woman is a realistic political drama tinged with its author’s cosiness, Mary Rose gives full-flight to his fantasy side, an aspect of himself he named McConnachie, as Splinters Production’s Barrie show (also at the Netherbow through this year’s Fringe Festival) explains.
The two shows provide a Barrie mini-fest. But, in contrast to Theatre Alba’s fine open-air Lass Wi’ the Muckle Mou, this revival is beaten by its own circumstances. The Netherbow’s small stage and a presumably limited production budget mean there’s barely any scenery, or room to create a realistic family home, either in its happier early days, or shut-up for sale after the events explored by the story.
Without this, and with acting that’s rarely more than functionally efficient, the solidity of the everyday world, with its everyday bickering and sympathies, hardly registers. Nor does the play’s opening create the sense of loss or mystery required when it’s performed with a tentative hesitancy scarcely more inspiriting than the shuddering non-scenery.
Fortunately, the central scene on “the island that likes to be visited” works better. It’s here the play, having built an atmosphere of mystery about Mary Rose, shows what happens to its vulnerable heroine. Romana Abercromby’s Mary has a sense of innocence, and her fear when the mystery-island takes her for its own is a telling interpretative moment in Charles Nowosielski’s production.
Other moments come alive, especially Mary’s return, young as ever and unaware of her years away from reality, to be horrified on discovering people she knew are a generation older - as if everyone else had aged overnight in some sci-fi horror action. Abercromby makes all this clear in a moment’s unbelieving, horrified reaction. Her final assumption is another exciting moment.
It’s in such places, with Mary Rose becoming another study for Barrie’s famous Boy who wouldn’t grow up, the play comes to life. If a scene, and a performance, could stand-in for a whole production, all would be well. But, alas, it is not so.
Mrs Otery: Anne Lannan.
Harry Morland Blake: Marcus McLeod.
Mt Morland: Simon Tait.
Mrs Morland: Suzanne Dance.
Mr Amy: Keith Hutcheon.
Mary Rose: Romana Abercromby.
Simon Blake: James Ashton.
Mr Cameron: Robert Willisamson.
Director: Charles Nowosielski.
Designer: Paul Ambrose-Wright.
Lighting: Alan Little.
Music: Richard Cherns.
Costume: Keith Hutcheon.
2007-08-28 16:10:34