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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
George Orwell's 1984 School Disco
Verdict: Flimsy
The beginning is interesting. Winston (Gareth Kane) cuts through the darkness with a torch. However, the Terminator-esque music and dodgy deep voice straightaway set the tone, and unfortunately it is a confusing one (writes Eloise Emanuel).
It is difficult to understand what is happening at any one point. The storyline appears muddy and confused. The desire to stick to the over-arching strictures of the novel leaves the play sometimes dull and sluggish. It rarely achieves the finesse of the original, and seems an unusual choice from which to set such a short comedy moment.
Gareth Kane has an interesting role, which he warms to. But it's one in which he doesn't seem to feel comfortable. It requires a lot of direct interaction with the audience, and he doesn't quite manage to pull off the intimacy - it feels as if he is delivering a series of memorised monologues.
So it’s difficult to warm to him, and the audience never quite bonds with him enough for him to lead it confidently forward. Although the play is a comedy, his character seems to lack depth, sensitivity, or any sense of internalisation.
Sheena Irving copes well, although her performance - in particular her child-like physicality and over-active facial expressions - seem like her characters in Fanny & Faggot and Patricia Quinn Saved My Life, also showing in this series of short plays at the Hen & Chickens.
Jonathan Hansler is a resolutely angrily comic George Orwell, and therefore it is difficult to understand his character, or feel any kind of emotion for him whatsoever.
One moment of pure joy is watching Luke Touslson and Stephen Harvey bop along with effortless cool 80’s dancing at the school disco - although the rest of their performance is under-whelming.
Gareth Kane rescues a moment of tenderness when he talks the audience through his desire to kiss his childhood sweetheart Julia.
It’s a difficult piece to place. It’s not particularly funny, it’s not particularly slapstick and it’s certainly not dark.
The flimsy storyline is stretched to its limits for the half-hour show, and at the end it simply flits away.
Cast Credits (alpha order): Jonathan Hansler – George Orwell. Stephen Harvey – Thought Police. Sheena Irving - Julia. Gareth Kane - Winston. Luke Toulson – Thought Police.
Company Credits: Writer & Director - Stephen Keyworth. Lights & Sound - Rebecca Maltby. Flyer Photography & Design - Stephen Keyworth. Producer - Sleeping Giant Productions in association with Unrestricted View and The Sticking Place. Originally written for, and performed in, the 5065 Lift at The Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe 03. Thanks to: Host Universal, Café Direct.
END
(c) Eloise Emanuel 2004
reviewed Friday 19 November 04 / Hen & Chickens Theatre
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
