THE WELL BEING. London, then tour to 8 June.

London/Tour

THE WELL BEING
by Andrew Buckland, Lionel Newton, Lara Foot Newton, from a short story by Andrew Buckland

Riverside Studios (Studio 3) To 1 May 2002
Mon-Sat 8pm Mats 20, 27 April, 1 May 2.30pm Then tour.
Runs 1hr 25min No interval

TICKETS 020 8237 1111 (Riverside performances)
Review Timothy Ramsden 11 April

A fishy tale, told by frogs – a mix of comedy and origami built round a child-rape.This Mouthpeace production, premiered at Johannesburg's celebrated Market Theatre, is a strange piece, half myth and semi-satire on South African attitudes, specifically those of respectable middle-class society.

Our friendly froggy narrators soon find their forested valley invaded by 'bipedal humanoids', ie people. At which point they become distinctly less friendly. Wouldn't you, if the new species presented not only the rapacious clergyman who triggers events but the grotesque pairs of rednecks, salon-ladies and marital squabblers offered in rapid, almost cinematic montage by Buckland and Newton?

A young girl is sexually assaulted by the most respectable figure in society. She, of course, is the one who casts herself out, living in the forest and digging herself a well. There's a flood, which brings a swimming mammalian down to impregnate her. Then there's a drought; the people, returning after the flood, victimise her for being the only person with water.

A march is organised. It becomes disorganised, and violent. From being an outcast she becomes a witch. Her simple-minded friend, Skidmark, is tricked into destroying her offspring. Realism, it ain't.

But it is a savage indictment of semi-moronic respectability. And it's often achingly funny, thanks to an imaginative theatricality, the ingenuity of which contrasts the dull minds of most of the characters we meet. They're the sort who deserve to be observed through frogs' eyes.

The floor starts covered with paper. It's soon crumpled and shredded. There's a melon, which serves graphically for the childbirth, when it's burst open and, after birth, becomes food for messy-mouthed froggies. At one point the audience too's threatened with a dollop of wet melon-innards.

Comic, cruel and touching, this is the kind of show that can only have started in someone's wildest dreams. It's emerged as an act of desperate clowning, a scream of rage against injustice that converts to angry mockery, and it carries the audience on its fast-flow current of controlled anger and profligate invention

Cast:
Andrew Buckland, Lionel Newton

Director: Lara Foot Newton
Lighting: Wesley France
Sound/Music: Phillip Miller

Tour:
7-11 May Komedia Brighton 7.30pm 01273 647100
16;18 May Town Hall High Wycombe 8pm 01494 512000
23-25 May Old Museum Arts Centre Belfast 028 9023 3332
6-8 June Royal Exchange Studio Manchester Thu/Fri 7.30pm, Sat 8pm 0161 833 9833

2002-04-13 09:50:59