MR PUNTILA AND HIS MAN MATTI till 6 October

Coventry.
MR PUNTILA AND HIS MAN, MATTI: Berthold Brecht, in a new version by Peter Arnott.
Belgrade Theatre: www.belgrade.co.uk; 024 7655 3055.
Runs: 3h 10m, one interval, till 6 October.
Review: Rod Dungate, 25 September 2007.

Revelatory, funny, devastating.

The freshly reopened Belgrade Theatre gets off to a thunderingly good start in this production. Brecht appears at his most human writing this play; he also is clearly at the absolute height of his writing.

Mr Puntila is a kind of knock-about comedy. Very funny with verbal pyrotechnics never absent. Puntila is a heartless landlord, he hires and fires at will in the interests of making profits. But he hates himself; he drinks himself into, not oblivion, but communism. When pissed, he loves all mankind, wants his daughter to marry his chauffeur, treats his servants as his friends. When drunk he hates who he is sober, when sober he hates who he is drunk.

What is completely remarkable in Brecht’s writing in this play is that his own examination of the debilitating effects of class sparkles vigorously throughout; actually ‘glints’ would be better – his examination is sharp-edged, like honed steel. Peter Arnott (the translator) notes: ‘Brecht says more here about the inhuman cost of class and private property than he does anywhere else.’ In merging, so successfully, his comedy and politics, Brecht triumphantly demonstrates that you can have your cake (or bread) and eat it.

Brecht takes for the centre of his play the classic relationship of Master and Wily Servant; then subverts it to his own purpose. Mr Puntila is a giant role. Whenever he is on, which is most of the time, he dominates all with a torrential downpour of words. But this is also one of Brecht’s comedic devices. And handled with delight, aplomb and great energy by David Hargreaves. Hargreaves achieves the vital task of making us like him while at the same time disapproving of him.

Jake Nightingale creates his servant Matti. His low key performance is the perfect complement to Hargreave’s in-your-face style. With an easy-going sense of comedic timing, Nightingale builds a bridge into the play for us.

Matti we like, we like him for his calm, for his care; we like him because he loves Puntila’s daughter Eva. Puntila wants them to marry; we want them to marry. And so Brecht builds to the first of his bitter twists; for characteristically, we aren’t enabled to rest comfortably in sentimental comedy. The second of the twists, with Hargreaves and Nightingale closing the play is devastating.

This is a strong company. Hamish Glen, who directs, has brought us a marvellous work; he orchestrates it with confidence, sensitivity, intelligence and style.

Mr Puntila: David Hargreaves.
Matti: Jake Nightingale.
Emma / Vicar’s Wife / Worker at Hiring / Lin Blakley
Surkalla / Magistrate: Peter Ellis.
Fina / Milkmaid Lisu / Hannah Emanuel.
Eva: Louise Ford.
Fat Man / Vicar: Andy Hockley.
Laina / Chemist’s Assistant: Bella Merlin.
Attaché / Weakling: Robert Pickavance
Waiter / Short Man / Vet / Solicitor: Will Tacey
Surkalla’s Child: Tia Guest.
Surkalla’s Child? Sophie Greer.
Reserve Surkalla’s Child: Hannah Brant.

Director: Hamish Glen
Translation and Adaptation: Peter Arnott
Designer: Gregory Smith
Lighting Designer: Arnim Friess.
Musical Director and Composer: Robert Pettigrew.
Costume Designer: Monika Nisbet
Associate Director: Gadi Roll
Assistant Director: Rebecca Hannah

2007-09-26 10:42:07