VANITY FAIR. To 30 November.
Exeter
VANITY FAIR
by William Makepeace Thackeray adapted by Declan Donnellan
Northcott Theatre To 30 November 2002
Runs 2hr 30min One interval
TICKETS 01392 493493
Review Hazel Brown 8 November 2002
All the fun of Vanity Fair is captured in this fast and witty production.The pace of Donnellan's whirlwind adaptation is kept up by its setting in a fair ground, such as might have been discovered at London's famous Vauxhall Gardens in Regency England. The tone is ironic and the narration never holds up the action with characters either addressing the audience or popping out from the fairground booth to carry the storyline a device reminding me of an advent calendar, hiding a surprise behind each window.
The story follows the lives of two friends, Amelia Sedley and Becky Sharp, from their school days, through marriages, family fall-outs and having sons to finally losing their husbands. Amelia, is rich, silly and prone to tears, whereas her friend Becky is poor, but beautiful and wickedly clever.
Ruthlessly using her wit and sexual charms, Becky claws her way up through society. Suzy Bloom, who has a lovely singing voice, plays her with dangerous aplomb, contrasting with faithful, insipid Amelia - a memorable performance by Eleanor Moriarty. The one pure, unselfish character is William Dobbin - played with straightforward charm by Fergus Webster - who never falters in his love for Amelia. This is in contrast to the caddish behaviour of all the other men. Becky marries Crawley, a gambler; together they take on London society, living on a knife edge of debt. Martin Parr is not quite cynical and dangerous enough to be believable as the man to capture Becky, but Hywel Morgan is innocent enough to marry Amelia and be taken in by Becky's charms.
Other members of the cast join in the merry-go-round, performing many characters with astonishing dexterity. Special mention to Christine Absalom who transforms herself from snobbish schoolmarm, to Raj Indian mama, to down at heel mother in law to duped duchess at the drop (or rather the change) of a hat. Robin Harvey Edwards is excellent in his roles as Becky's older suitors.
The production never flags and Ken Harrison's ingenious set twists, turns, opens and closes, with the music, singing and dancing, composed and choreographed by Matthew Bugg, adding to the fun of this fine production of Vanity Fair.
Miss Crawley/Miss Pinkerton/Mrs O'Dowd/Mrs Sedley/Lady Steyne: Christine Absalom
Becky Sharp: Suzy Bloom
Joseph Sedley/Miss Jemima/Mrs Osborne/Raggles: Robin Harvey Edwards
George Osborne/Sir Pitt Crawley/Lord Steyne/Georgy Osborne/Coachman/M.C.: Hywel Morgan
Amelia Sedley/Mrs Raggles: Eleanor Moriarty
Rawdon Crawley/Mr Sedley/Isidor/Young Rawdy/Glorvina O'Dowd/Croupier/Tour Guide: Martin Parr
William Dobbin/Pitt Crawley Jr./Pauline/Lord Southdown/Paul Jefferson-Jones/Mr Moss: Fergus Webster
Director: Richard Baron
Designer: Ken Harrison
Lighting: Mark Pritchard
Composer/Choreographer: Matthew Bugg
2002-11-15 05:57:34