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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Great Expectations
Verdict: Definitive Dickens
London - Shaw Theatre - May 03
9-17 May 03 - £10/£8
Great Expectations - by Charles Dickens. Adapted by Hugh Leonard. Directed by Nina Field.
Miss Havisham's an embittered single mother bringing up her daughter Estella to revenge herself upon men generally. Very 21st century. She also has an unusual interest in young boys. Highly topical.
Specifically, Miss Havisham is interested in Pip. She wants Estella to break his heart - in the long term - to match her own distress at being dumped years ago en route to the altar by a bounder, Compeyson. So she invites Pip, and another small boy, Herbert Pocket, round to play with Estella and fight with each other. She watches, still wearing her wedding dress ('She must smell awful', remarked a woman in the audience), beside her cobweb-covered wedding cake.
Estella's adopted: so's Pip. He's Philip Pirrip, his parents dead, his sister Mrs Joe married to blacksmith Joe. Mrs Joe's such a tartar that Joe and Pip are bound together in comradeship for mutual protection. When Mad forge assistant Orlick clunks her over the head with a hammer, there's an audible sigh of relief. When she's dead, Biddy comes to educate Pip, and Joe marries her.
Pip meets Magwitch, a convict on the run, and brings him food. Magwitch is caught and taken away in chains. Pip plays for Miss Havisham, and a lawyer Jaggers arrives from London with an unusual promise. An unknown benefactor's sending him up to town to be turned into a gentleman. He's not to know his benefactor's name. He's to have great expectations.
Oscar Wilde famously remarked, about the death of Dickens's character Little Nell - 'You'd need a heart of stone not to laugh'. But as Nina Field's classy production illustrates, Dickens wasn't a sentimentalist - he just loved people. Every character's alive with humanity.
Katy Bartrop sparkles as Estella, a mature woman able to see beyond the falseness of given wealth - and radiant in several dramatic costumes. Jaymie Pennington (on tonight; alternating with Ashley Beattie) as her child counterpart acts splendidly and bears a sharp resemblance.
Alex Dower is a handsome and energetic Pip, the centre of the story both as character and narrator. He creates a believable, loveable and strident Pip, who finds his ultimate maturity - and the love of a good woman - through his own unaided efforts. Mathew Bicks (this night, alternating with Harry Day) as young Pip, handles a big part with skill.
Mark Burdett's Joe is a highly gifted evocation. He creates a Joe of flesh and blood, and human dignity. Julian Caddy shines as Herbert Pocket, a gentle piece of comic acting; he's also the entertaining Aged P, father of lawyer's clerk Wemmick. Iestyn Evans matches him closely as Young Herbert Pocket (tonight, alternating with Steven Meiklejohn), in a fine performance.
Paul Croft has enormous fun with Wemmick, creating superb comedy from Dickens's warm characterisation. Fiona Hamilton as his girlfriend Miss Skiffins acts a highlight of the evening - funny, endearing, and perfectly timed. She also plays Molly, the lawyer's housekeeper, with dignity and enigma.
Thirl Drew reveals the subtlety and ambiguity of Joe's Uncle Pumblechook. Tony Hickson is an excellently sinister Orlick, and entertaining lawyer's butler. Alison Lewis towers as the awful Mrs Joe, and endears as sweet Biddy. Anthony Whitfield is a powerful, terrifying, humane and gentle Magwitch - revealing the complexity of his character.
Julia Duvall produces a definitive Miss Havisham - a highly entertaining take on one of the most cariacatured heroines of English literature. It's a rather sexy Miss Havisham that Julia Duvall serves up, providing a new twist within her gifted portrayal.
Man of the match goes to Philip Pritchard. His lawyer Jaggers crackles with electricity. With each of his appearances, the production jolts onto a higher dramatic plane. It's an astonishing piece of acting, characterisation of complete conviction.
This week, topically, Charles Dickens has 5 books - including Great Expectations - in a poll of the UK's 100 favourite novels of all time. This production compressed to 2hr 20 mins is a fine tribute, though it's unlikely to have satisfied Oscar Wilde. While doing hard labour for buggery, he's said to have been asked by a book-bearing prison visitor: 'Have you tried Dickens?'
'Yes,' replied Wilde. 'And I'm here because of them.'
Adult Cast Credits (alpha order):
Katy Bartrop (Estella), Mark Burdett (Joe), Julian Caddy (Herbert Pocket and Aged P), Paul Croft (Wemmick), Alex Dower (Philip Pirrip 'Pip'), Thirl Drew (Pumblechook), Julia Duvall (Miss Havisham), Fiona Hamilton (Molly and Miss Skiffins), Tony Hickson (Orlick), Alison Lewis (Mrs Joe and Biddy), Philip Pritchard (Jaggers), Anthony Whitfield (Abel Magwitch).
Young Actors Credits (alpha order): Ashley Beattie (Young Estella),
Mathew Bicks (Young Pip), Harry Day (Young Pip), Iestyn Evans (Young Herbert Pocket),
Steven Meiklejohn (Young Herbert Pocket), Jaymie Pennington (Young Estella).
Company Credits Lights and Sound - Shaw Theatre Staff. Producer - Crystal Clear Productions. Director - Nina Field. Writer - Charles Dickens. Adapted by Hugh Leonard.
Thanks to (programme order): Rob Inglis, Marina Whitfield, Mark Burdett, Michelle Penney, Alistair Milne, Deeq Warsame, Joanne Hutchinson, Elizabeth Okpeh, Danielle Burdett, Jigsaw Theatre Arts, Ravenscourt Theatre School, Tony Hickson, Novotel, South London Theatre, Olivia Caddy, Cathy Burdett, Robert Elliot and Andrew Byron, Stephen Bailey.
END
John Park
reviewed 14 May 03 / Shaw Theatre
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
