THE DICE HOUSE by Paul Lucas: Belgrade, Coventry

Coventry

The Dice House: Paul Lucas

Adapted from the novel, The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Running Time: 2 hours, One interval

Review: Rod Dungate, 17th June 2001

Looking for something different? - This is for you.

If you aren't paranoid before you see Paul Lucas's new play at the
Belgrade in Coventry, it's quite likely you will be by the time you leave. The
action takes place mostly in the Dice Centre, a home for a motley collection
of psychiatric patients (which includes Dr Ratner, chief psychiatrist - and
isn't, therefore, a patient): the Dice Centre is place where people are
imprisoned by a psychotic search for freedom. All choices, here, must be left
to chance, decisions must be made on a throw of the dice.

The play is an adaptation of Luke Rhinehart's cult novel, The Dice Man.
In his adaptation Paul Lucas reflects and captures our own wish for freedom
and our nightmarish fear of the consequences of achieving it. He combines
our own childish cry of 'Life's not fair' with our childlike comfort that there's
always someone worse of than ourselves.

Lucas's plot is too bizarre to summarise here, but is beautifully sustained
by an unremitting logic that is as unsettling as a room of angled mirrors, with
his dialogue shining like bright lights ricocheting to and fro.

Matthew Cottle's innocent victim, Matthew, is absolutely charming, a
disarming quiet centre in this storm. Neil Boorman's Smith, poor bastard,
relentlessly pursued by a Knight of Grudge, is brilliantly matter of fact,
despite everything that happens to him. To a greater or lesser degree the
rest of the cast should calm down a bit and, by appearing more normal,
reveal their madness more, it will let the play breathe and reach its full
potential.

If you're looking for something a little different, this is for you.

2001-08-16 09:44:33