ON THE WATERFRONT.
London.
ON THE WATERFRONT
by Budd Schulberg with Stan Silverman.
Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Thu 2.30pm & Sat 3pm.
Run s 2hr 15min One interval.
TICKETS: 0845 481 1870. (booking charge up to £3.50 per ticket).
www.trh.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 14 February.
Strong images from a major theatrical imagination.
There’s not been so much of Steven Berkoff’s work around recently onstage, and this version of Elia Kazan’s 1954 film suits his theatricality, with its stylised, frequently slow-motion physical detail and pointed, expressionistic vocal manner. It makes for an apt and vivid screen-stage translation.
From the opening, as the striking backdrop showing a tilted Statue of Liberty holding a docker’s grappling-hook is fronted by heavy-coated, homburg-hatted figures entering and shaking hands, there’s a sense of complicit secrecy, of the group as a gang, threatening and collusive.
Union bosses have corrupted their organisation to exploit its longshoremen members. Kickbacks and percentages decide who works, and who has the cushiest number. Under his ironic name of Johnny Friendly, Steven Berkoff’s union chief holds sway through terror. Berkoff’s paunched-up Friendly sits easily, sure of his power, his smiles a sign of authority, as much as the naked, extreme anger that erupts under challenge.
His nemesis is Simon Merrell’s Terry Malloy, brother to Johnny’s fixer, a smart-coated Mr Legit and the only gangster to be torn, trying to save his brother from his own scruples. Antony Byrne has the smoothness of this frontman and negotiator, his regular confidence swept aside by his brother’s principled determination.
Two things lead Terry, a part-time boxer, to inform on the union to the authorities: the way he was fooled into setting-up a murder, and his love for the victim’s sister, the sole female presence. For this is a male world, as Merrells shows in Terry’s swagger and unreflective determination in taking on the union mob.
There’s strong work too from Vincenzo Nicoli as the priest stung into activism by Edie Doyle’s anger. Berkoff’s direction finds room for these individuals within the sweep of his physically startling production, often backed by Mark Glentworth’s strong, frequently percussive score.
Once, as the bully-boys mash the workmen to the ground with baseball-bates, the choreographed elegance of the gradually sinking line of men might seems at odds with the revolting violence. But the variety and originality of the stage images in telling the story shows Berkoff as peerless in this kind of theatre.
Terry Malloy: Simon Merrells.
Joey Doyle/Tommy/Jimmy: Alex McSweeney.
Charlie “The Gent” Malloy: Antony Byrne.
Bog Mac: Alex Giannini.
Edie Doyle: Bryony Afferson.
Runty Nolan/Skins: Dominic Grant.
Moose/Barney: Ian Gofton.
Luke/Mutt/Sonny: Alexander Thomas.
J P Morgan/Billy: Gavin Marshall.
Pop Doyle: Sean Buckley.
Father Barry: Vincenzo Nicoli.
Johnny Friendly: Steven Berkoff.
Director: Steven Berkoff.
Designer: Jason Southgate.
Lighting: Mike Robertson.
Composer/Musical Director: Mark Glentworth.
Costume/Props: Helen Fownes-Davies.
Assistant director: Matthew Cullum.
Jen Mitchell’s review of the original Nottingham Playhouse production, directed by Steven Berkoff, and with some of the same cast members, is in the reviewsgate.com Archive.
2009-02-15 20:43:52