TAMAR'S REVENGE till 2 October
TAMAR'S REVENGE: Tirso de Molina (in a new translation by James Fenton)
RSC, The Swan: Tkts, 0870 609 1110
Runs: 2h 50m, one interval, till October 2nd
Review: Rod Dungate, 16 June 2004
More gold-plated than goldenTAMAR'S REVENGE may stem from the Spanish Golden Age but, in Simon Usher's production using a new version by James Fenton, it appears so battered and blemished it might have been kinder to realise it's beyond restoration and leave it in a quiet museum corner. But then the problem could lie in the Fenton-Usher restoration . . .
Here is a biblical tale translated into 17th Century Spain. King David, now on in years, is away at war, still vanquishing all before him. His sons are at home, all (except architect, Solomon) letting their minds wander over thoughts of women. Crown Prince Amnon climbs into the grounds reserved for the women and, in the pitch darkness of night, falls in love with his beautiful sister, Tamar. He drops into a wild sickness and can only be cured by satisfying his incestuous love.
All the ingredients are here in the play to make an absorbing tragic story lust, corruption, vanity, ambition, greed for power and incest. Potentially a powerful brew. The play glimpses at a dignity within the characters (most notably within the old king, David) that their vices pull against, setting up a dramatic tension at the play's heart.
However, Fenton's verse is often perverse; his use of colloquial expressions, while nodding towards our 21st Century world often under-cut the drama. There is, of course, a balance to strive for between the language registers of high status and low status characters, and there are times, too, when characters need to have their dignity-bubbles burst. But Fenton doesn't achieve the balance nor mark the moments; when powerful poetry should be helping actors scale the heights of this drama, too often his language is merely banal, is awkward and jolts us rudely from the play's world.
Usher's chosen a brutally direct style he wishes to lay bare the cruelty within the story; sets are minimal, everything in played under harsh white light. The style has the unfortunate effect of shining a spotlight on the script's failings. Moreover Usher allows the actors few chances to create and share emotions with us. All is declaimed, emotions are signalled with loud acting (hard on the ear) and empty gesturing. There's a strange physicality about some of the performances that does nothing to help and Usher's closing of the first half (a coitus interruptus if ever I saw one) is crudely inept.
Oh dear; one more sentence . . . Cut the dreadful songs in the second half, they do nothing to move the drama on and merely prolong the play's death throes.
As is often the case in these situations actors strive to sort out the muddle others create. In particular John Stahl's King David towers over all; he conveys his majesty effortlessly and is most memorable in his quiet moments. Katherine Kelly as Tamar, the wronged daughter, is marvellously moving when the language she's given allows her to rise above the mundane. Her opening of the second half is shocking and thrilling. Amnon, having raped her, throws her out of his rooms; cup of poison', harpy', revolting animal' are among his insults. She responds; Throw me to the dogs; give the whole pack of strays a turn/ To lick the dish you've eaten from, then cast away./ This dress of mine you've just ripped apart, give it to your servant.' (Even here we can see some of Fenton's awkwardness.) Matt Ryan puts a great deal of energy into lust driven Amnon; I don't know how it was for him, but the earth didn't move for me.
Adonijah: William Buckhurst
Absalom; James Chalmers
Jonadab/ Solomon: Joseph Chance
Braulio/ Fencing Master: Julius D'Silva
Abigail: Rebecca Johnson
Tamar: Katherine Kelly
Bathsheba/ Shepherd: Melanie MacHugh
Joab/ Aliso: Vinta Morgan
Dina: Emma Pallant
Amnon: Matt Ryan
Tirso: Peter Sproule
David: John Stahl
Laurete/ Michal: Joanna Van Kampen
Ardelio: John Wark
Eliazer/ Riselio: Oliver Williams
Directed by: Simon Usher
Designed by: Delia Peel
Season Stage by: Es Devlin
Lighting Designed by: Ben Ormerod
Music Composed by: Neil McArthur
Sound Designed by: Mike Compton
Movement by: Gaby Agis
Fights Directed by: James Chalmers
Assistant Director: Chris White
Music Director: Michael Tubbs
Voice and Dialect work by: Jeanette Nelson
2004-06-17 10:22:46