THE RIVALS by Sheridan. Salisbury Playhouse
Salisbury
THE RIVALS
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Salisbury Playhouse To 29 September 2001
Runs 2hr 45min One interval
TICKETS 01722 320333
Review Timothy Ramsden 27 September
No rivalry here: visuals win hands down in Tim Luscombe's production over indifferent handling of Sheridan's languageBrisk, colourful and played close to its audience, this is a production which handles one of 18th century British theatre's 'big three' comedies with confidence and ease.
There's an elegant economy in Nancy Surman's design, its false proscenium arch topped by the twin masks of comedy and tragedy, beaming and glowering at us throughout. When this arch isn't playing host to a painted scene depicting the Georgian elegance of Bath, wittily contrasting monochrome housing and crescent with full-colour people, it usefully divides the stage. Behind is neutral black, setting off occasional items of furniture. In front is the main playing space, making for the intimacy on which 18th century writers could rely.
Before each half, and at the curtain-call are wittily choreographed mini-ballets of social life. These are enjoyable, but might have been sacrificed to allow more work on voices. There's little subtlety of tone and cadence; sentences are too often spat out and left to fend for themselves.
There's a friendly relationship between Anwen Hughes-Roberts' Lydia, languishing on her couch, and her maid Lucy (Sophie Duval) who sits chattily alongside her. But then, you'd need someone to talk to if the alternative was suffering Eileen Battye's Mrs Malaprop. Here too, the effect is achieved visually through gesture and expression, not to mention a clownish red hairdo. The famous malapropisms seem content to be upstaged by these, as if they knew their time was past.
Malcolm Rennie fires off his lusty Anthony Absolute like a blunderbuss. The shots scatter and some strike a comic nerve. Roger Barclay makes Sir Lucius O' Trigger a sprightly Irish lad. But generally, in Luscombe's hands, Sheridan's dialogue is delivered lightly but generates limited comic heat.
Fag: Howard Gossington
Coachman/David: Gerard Bell
Lucy: Sophie Duval
Lydia Languish: Anwen Hughes-Roberts
Julia: Miranda Raison
Mrs Malaprop: Eileen Battye
Anthony Absolute: Malcolm Rennie
Captain Jack Absolute: Stephen Beresford
Faulkland: Jonathan Aris
Bob Acres: James Loye
Sir Lucius O' Trigger: Roger Barclay
Errand Boys: James Hansford, George Spender
Director: Tim Luscombe
Designer: Nancy Surman
Lighting: Peter Hunter
Sound: Diane Prentice
Music: Corin Buckeridge
Choreography: Sam Spencer-Lane
2001-10-19 00:44:17