Lost in confusion
Theatre: Ophelia's Maids, St James Cavalier
With the excuse of experimentation, it seems that many theatre groups are forgetting that an artistic process still needs to be a justified process and experience to give the work coherence. Left without themes and motifs on which to grasp, the experience of OrangeisOrange's latest production Ophelia's Maids left me distant, lost in the tumultuous waves of what was being presented. Bizarre as they may be, even the masters of the absurd, from whom this production team claims to have looked for inspiration for this piece, never let go of an underlying structural reference.
Two female characters, played by Lizzie Eldridge and Annabelle Galea, occupied the stage of the Music Room at St James Cavalier last weekend. Their focus was their relationship which shifted constantly between extremes of emotions: lust, anger, jealousy, companionship, comfort, spiritual enlightening, desire and rage. Perhaps their own characters were developed in the most detail in those moments where the characters explored their respective relationships with the absent figures of Simon and Mario the milkman. These gave them a springboard for their own relationship, even though it was never clear who these people were and what their relationships with these females were.
A twisted form of the child's play Simon Says allowed for the exploration of hierarchy and domination in relationships, and was a particularly amusing and inventive moment. Undefined as their relationship was - Were they lovers? Were they sisters? Were they both? - the tug-of-war of hierarchical struggle that characterises failing relationships seemed to be the primary concern of this score written by Ms Eldridge herself. This was perhaps characterised most explicitly in a scene where they physically exchanged roles, represented by their dresses.
Within this struggle and the constant deterioration of their own relationship, the characters seemed to be exploring the possibility for new beginnings. At several moments they discussed the possibility of starting afresh, each time falling back into the depths of their own petty conflicts; but from where were they stemming? Perhaps the most clichéd representation of this theme came in the form of the pseudo baptismal scene, ironically leading to the lowest point of their sinking relationship. Was this immersion into water the reference to Ophelia? Perhaps the reference to Ophelia could have provided for a stronger development of that which actually defined their relationship, to actually create an understandable connection between these two figures.
Nevertheless, apart from these originally devised moments, the performance didn't lose a checklist quality - the checklist that nowadays seems to come with the possibility of passing off anything and everything as experimental theatre. Lesbian affair? Done that. Orgasms? Ticked. Religious irreverence? Got that.
Spatially, St James's Music Room, well, because it is a music room rather than a theatre, does make for difficult theatrical workings. Visually it's flat and calls for extremes of inventiveness in order to create alternative dimensions. Ms Galea's use of the wooden sound bars at the side as climbing bars was an effective moment in the light of this problematic. The heightened vocal quality of the women at this moment detracted however from the visual respite it provided for. Ah yes: shouting and shrieking. Ticked too. The particular acoustics of the space, as a music room designed to be sensitive to sound, called for particular awareness of the sound dynamics they were producing. The intensity and height of the female voices competing against each other, was at times even unbearable.
Emerging theatre groups are doing well to create a new wave and voice on our shores. But they would do well to remember that if they want to keep a steady audience, ready to give them a chance by giving of money and, more importantly, of time, a piece of work with intent and purpose stretches a lot further
Two female characters, played by Lizzie Eldridge and Annabelle Galea, occupied the stage of the Music Room at St James Cavalier last weekend. Their focus was their relationship which shifted constantly between extremes of emotions: lust, anger, jealousy, companionship, comfort, spiritual enlightening, desire and rage. Perhaps their own characters were developed in the most detail in those moments where the characters explored their respective relationships with the absent figures of Simon and Mario the milkman. These gave them a springboard for their own relationship, even though it was never clear who these people were and what their relationships with these females were.
A twisted form of the child's play Simon Says allowed for the exploration of hierarchy and domination in relationships, and was a particularly amusing and inventive moment. Undefined as their relationship was - Were they lovers? Were they sisters? Were they both? - the tug-of-war of hierarchical struggle that characterises failing relationships seemed to be the primary concern of this score written by Ms Eldridge herself. This was perhaps characterised most explicitly in a scene where they physically exchanged roles, represented by their dresses.
Within this struggle and the constant deterioration of their own relationship, the characters seemed to be exploring the possibility for new beginnings. At several moments they discussed the possibility of starting afresh, each time falling back into the depths of their own petty conflicts; but from where were they stemming? Perhaps the most clichéd representation of this theme came in the form of the pseudo baptismal scene, ironically leading to the lowest point of their sinking relationship. Was this immersion into water the reference to Ophelia? Perhaps the reference to Ophelia could have provided for a stronger development of that which actually defined their relationship, to actually create an understandable connection between these two figures.
Nevertheless, apart from these originally devised moments, the performance didn't lose a checklist quality - the checklist that nowadays seems to come with the possibility of passing off anything and everything as experimental theatre. Lesbian affair? Done that. Orgasms? Ticked. Religious irreverence? Got that.
Spatially, St James's Music Room, well, because it is a music room rather than a theatre, does make for difficult theatrical workings. Visually it's flat and calls for extremes of inventiveness in order to create alternative dimensions. Ms Galea's use of the wooden sound bars at the side as climbing bars was an effective moment in the light of this problematic. The heightened vocal quality of the women at this moment detracted however from the visual respite it provided for. Ah yes: shouting and shrieking. Ticked too. The particular acoustics of the space, as a music room designed to be sensitive to sound, called for particular awareness of the sound dynamics they were producing. The intensity and height of the female voices competing against each other, was at times even unbearable.
Emerging theatre groups are doing well to create a new wave and voice on our shores. But they would do well to remember that if they want to keep a steady audience, ready to give them a chance by giving of money and, more importantly, of time, a piece of work with intent and purpose stretches a lot further