THE WONDER! A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET. To 11 March.

London

THE WONDER! A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET
by Susannah Centlivre

bac (Studio 1) Lavender Hill SW11 5TN To 11 March 2007
Tue-Sat 8pm Sun 6pm
Runs 2hr 15min One interval

TICKETS: 020 7223 2223
www.bac.org.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 4 March

Mrs Centlivre outed as comic wit and skilful dramatist.
Second in rescue from last year’s London Fringe shows thanks to the Time Out/bac ‘Critics’ Choice season is The Other Theatre Company’s rare revival of this 1714 comedy, seen last autumn at Kennington’s White Bear pub-theatre.

That was probably the play’s first outing in a couple of centuries. If post-Restoration comedy was too strong for Victorian stomachs, feminist post-Restoration comedy must have been poison. Overt feminism’s kept for the Epilogue, but take away the 2 fathers and the remainder of the cast mixes males and females about equally. In all cases the women outwit the men, who are unimaginative or crippled by needless jealousy.

This production boasts a handsome set, backed by 3 doors to rooms where characters can be hidden from others who should not see them. In one scene, 3 concealed people comment on an onstage character, rather as in Twelfth Night; panels in the top half of each door wittily swing open to enable this. Often enough elsewhere, whoever is concealed gives their presence away. There’s also a window, plus 2 doors to other rooms, enhancing plot-complicating opportunities

Mrs Centlivre clearly had a sense of fun, to which no-one except possibly a Scotsman could object. Writing within a decade of the Act of Union between England and Scotland (to which reference is made) she enjoys bringing on an honest Scots officer (correctly English-sounding) and his servant who takes every chance to show belligerence, incoherence and loyalty.

But there is, at least in this modern-style production, little to suggest the Portuguese setting - a neat alias allowing the author to show the restrictions on young women while still praising English liberty. No woman would be fooled by the Iberian setting, but many men might have been, which – along with the man-flattering title – was useful cover.

For the maidservants might be on the make (the class politics are less progressive than the sexual) but even they show wit and resourcefulness. And those are the chief qualities of the young ladies at the plot’s centre, along with genuine love that needs to assure itself of male intentions and be confident of mutual trust.

There’s a roughness to much of the vocal technique here, and a number of times greater tonal variety would have enhanced the performance. But the actors bring clarity and meaning to the action, often shaping sentences at a hectic pace, just as the action darts in-and-out of the multiple exits.. And the modern body-language works beautifully well with Centlivre’s words. It’s a production, too, that can get laughs out of a silence (when a character’s asked his view of England) and the use of snowfall paperweights.

Besides, when are we likely to see this vivacious play again?

cast and credits not available

2007-03-05 14:46:28