Festen (based on Thomas Vinterberg’s film production, adapted for the stage by David Eldridge) was a good choice for the inauguration of Masquerade’s intimate stage space, Blue Box at M Space, in Msida.

As directed by Stephen Oliver, it requires no set to speak of. The director uses furniture – including a large, double bed and a very long dinner table – good lighting and a violent sound-effect that ominously preceeds and closes each scene, to create psychological sharpness and intensity in the cast.

These also underline the scenes of violence that have been rehearsed well. There is not much leeway for cheating in this field when the audience is on three sides of the large acting area.

Most readers have seen, as I have, quite a few films and plays set at an important moment of a family’s life. The moment typically brings out a couple, or a whole host, of skeletons from the cupboard, so the concept of Festen is nothing new.

Helge (Manuel Cauchi), is a very successful owner of restaurants. He is celebrating his 60th birthday in grand style in a large mansion he owns, celebrated for its food as well as for its hospitality.

It is, however, made clear to the audience that all is not well with the intimate family. When we first see them, Helge’s sons Christian (Steffan Cheriet Busuttil) and Michael (Andre Agius) who have come for the celebration, are clearly not in a festive mood.

Christian is reserved, exercised by troubled thoughts, while Michael has not even been invited but blusters his way into being accepted to stay, and his boorish behaviour to his wife is disturbing.

We are also introduced to their sister Helene (Elektra Anastasi) who enjoys meeting Christian after a long time.

Dramatically, the greatest weakness of this production is its inability to show clearly that certain scenes, such as the one where Christian is beaten up, take place outside the house. As it is, it looks as if the whole unpleasant incident occurs in full view of the rest of the cast at the dinner table. Perhaps Oliver wanted us to think so.

A number of scenes are played, some simultaneously but without confusion, over the double bed that has been placed in the centre of the playing space. These short, but rapidly played scenes, lead to a number of revelations. At this point I should add that this kind of theatre space is far from ideal for the playing of simulated sex scenes.

The heart of the play lies in the long dinner scene which, far from being a series of hosannahs to Helge, develops into an attack on him as father and person. The turning point comes when Pia (Tina Rizzo), the waitress in love with Christian, finds a document unearthed earlier by Helene.

The last scene, when the whole family comes down for breakfast, is a quietly tense one in which Helge gets his come-uppance.

Cheriet Busuttil is a soundly-realised Christian, a man harbouring a secret sorrow that must and does come out. His success as a businessman has not been matched by his personal life: his dreadful abuse by his father has made him profoundly unhappy. One is glad to see that the script has given him the happy ending he deserves.

Agius’s Michael is hot-tempered, aggressive and never buttoned-up. The characterisation is very clear and makes full impact. However, in an intimate space like this, using fortissimo tones (as he does especially in his opening scene) does not pay, dramatically.

Cauchi’s Helge is the kind of dignified elder person this actor does so beautifully. His dignity and utter self-confidence that are evident early in the play do not crumble very easily under Christian’s accusations. Indeed, in his scene with Christian he mounts a vociferous counter-attack meant to erode his son’s confidence. Even at the end, when he sees that all is lost for him as the family patriarch, he does not collapse. He leaves defeated but unbowed, despite the desertion of his hitherto loyal wife Else (Amanda Conroy, cool and self-possessed).

I liked Victor Debono’s Lars, the catering manager, whose icy face and quietly disapproving tones in the first scene mark him as one of Helge’s men.

Anastasi’s Helene projected her unease, especially when her African boyfriend Gbagtokai (Francis Nwobodo) joins the party. This is particularly true when Gbagtokai ends up being subjected to racist jeers from Helge’s senile father (Colin Willis) and the depressive Poul (Erin Stuart Palmier). Bettina Paris is a winsome Mette, but like Agius she needs to regulate her vocal volume when in great anger.

Festen shows today at 8pm at Blue Box at M Space, Msida.

www.ticketline.com.mt

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