In 1935, Noel
Coward’s ambition was simple: to resuscitate the dying tradition of the one-act
play. As part of this mission, Coward wrote ‘Tonight at 8.30’ ten one-act plays
aimed to, in Coward’s own words, ‘provide a full and varied evenings
entertainment for theatregoers’.
Folie à Deux’s production at the Old Red Lion presents two plays from this collection which, aside from the subject matter of love and relationships, share very little continuity.
‘Still Life’ - the play that laid the foundations for one of British Cinema’s most romantic films, ‘Brief Encounter’- forms the first part of this Noel Coward double act. As in the film, Alec Harvey (Freddie Capper) comes to Laura Jesson’s (Georgina Strawson) aid when she gets something in her eye waiting for a train. In a reserved and polite manner, or shall we say typically English, the (already married) pair fall in love.
Unfortunately, eighty years from its first performance, the romantic world of Alec and Laura is recognisable: the love story has lost its bite. Although Folie à Deux’s productions is mindfully orchestrated, (I speak in particular reference to the intricate and astute 1930s station bar setting), the passion and desire between the adulterous pair is lost in formalities and politeness. This creates a detachment onstage that is overlooked in the cinematic debut which gave the play its residence.
The play is Joycean in its ability to capture the every day, and there is an conversational fluidity in the panoramic café scenes which master the Coward one-act briefness. With all the actors on stage, the audience's attention dives to and forth from brawls between waitresses and soldiers to the embarrassed lovers, frustratingly powerless to articulate their desires. It is these moments when their emotion carries the most credibility: the shy blushes and brushes of intimacy are most poignant when the audience’s attentions are purposely focused towards other parts of the scene. Sparse in their occurrence, these moments fail to detract from what is an overall bland and unprovocative start to the evening.
In comparison, ‘Red Peppers’ is full of energy, diversity and comedy. Celebrating the old English music hall, married couple double act George and Lilly Pepper are an upbeat and engaging change from what they have followed. Like many middle-aged couples, the premise to George and Lilly's relationship relies heavily on the fact that their hate of one another is outweighed by a hatred of the rest of the world, and in a comically stoic reunion, the pair team up in a plight to save their act.
Short and sweet, the
second half of Folie à Deux’s production has an energy
that is lacking from the former, and forgives the slow pace of what it has
followed. The two musical numbers performed by Goerge Pepper (Simon Manyonda) and
Lily Pepper (Laura Hanna) are frustratingly brief but fantastically entertaining.
Whilst ‘Still Life’ - widely recognised as the most mature play of this collection - is fittingly aged and ruined perhaps by the success of its cinematic counterpart, ‘Red Peppers’ remains fresh and dynamic. The implicit intimacy of society in ‘Still Life’ set alongside the feisty husband and wife act of ‘Red Peppers’ thankfully enforces that there is a lot to be admired in this production.
Folie à Deux’s production at the Old Red Lion presents two plays from this collection which, aside from the subject matter of love and relationships, share very little continuity.
‘Still Life’ - the play that laid the foundations for one of British Cinema’s most romantic films, ‘Brief Encounter’- forms the first part of this Noel Coward double act. As in the film, Alec Harvey (Freddie Capper) comes to Laura Jesson’s (Georgina Strawson) aid when she gets something in her eye waiting for a train. In a reserved and polite manner, or shall we say typically English, the (already married) pair fall in love.
Unfortunately, eighty years from its first performance, the romantic world of Alec and Laura is recognisable: the love story has lost its bite. Although Folie à Deux’s productions is mindfully orchestrated, (I speak in particular reference to the intricate and astute 1930s station bar setting), the passion and desire between the adulterous pair is lost in formalities and politeness. This creates a detachment onstage that is overlooked in the cinematic debut which gave the play its residence.
The play is Joycean in its ability to capture the every day, and there is an conversational fluidity in the panoramic café scenes which master the Coward one-act briefness. With all the actors on stage, the audience's attention dives to and forth from brawls between waitresses and soldiers to the embarrassed lovers, frustratingly powerless to articulate their desires. It is these moments when their emotion carries the most credibility: the shy blushes and brushes of intimacy are most poignant when the audience’s attentions are purposely focused towards other parts of the scene. Sparse in their occurrence, these moments fail to detract from what is an overall bland and unprovocative start to the evening.
In comparison, ‘Red Peppers’ is full of energy, diversity and comedy. Celebrating the old English music hall, married couple double act George and Lilly Pepper are an upbeat and engaging change from what they have followed. Like many middle-aged couples, the premise to George and Lilly's relationship relies heavily on the fact that their hate of one another is outweighed by a hatred of the rest of the world, and in a comically stoic reunion, the pair team up in a plight to save their act.
Whilst ‘Still Life’ - widely recognised as the most mature play of this collection - is fittingly aged and ruined perhaps by the success of its cinematic counterpart, ‘Red Peppers’ remains fresh and dynamic. The implicit intimacy of society in ‘Still Life’ set alongside the feisty husband and wife act of ‘Red Peppers’ thankfully enforces that there is a lot to be admired in this production.
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