Evoking the 19th century gothic novels of the Bronte sisters (and elements of the lives of them as well), with the dour and moody Yorkshire moors reflecting the inner passions of two sisters, their maid, the recently arrived governess (despite there not being any child to tutor), a mastiff and a moorhen, "The Moors" is a delightfully odd play full of grim corners, surprise twists, rage, literary conciets and lust and plays wonderfully in the intimate Mill Theatre, on Aloma Barnes' set which serves both for indoor scenes and outdoors with a painting scheme that lets the characters blend into nature while their outfits stand out boldly.
Joel Horwood's production perfectly captures the mood, with each performance attuned to build the atmosphere and tension, as we start to learn who's the predator and who the prey. Andrea Close anchors the play as the foreboding, grim Agatha, grandly imposing in her wide-framed dress. Rachael Hudley as the wannabe-writer, Hudley, is suitably scatterbrained, self-absorbed and easily over-ridden by Agatha. Sarah Nathan-Truesdale as the newly arrived Governess is a bold-but-bewhildered entryway into the narrative, easily steered by the various influences upon her. Steph Roberts as Margery, the maid, does powerful looming and incipient portents of doom to perfection, building a sense of delight in her slow-bulilding vengeance. Chris Zuber and Petronella van Tienen as the Mastiff and the Moorhen provide a somewhat poetic accompaniment to the human plot, with a sweet romance that turns sour as their natures betray them.
Damien Ashcroft's sound and Stefan Wronski's lighting add to the mood, the tension and the delight of the piece. All in all it's a strangely delightful evening, a play that simultaneously takes the feelings seriously and makes the results of those feelings hilarious in a way that lands between spoof-and-seriousness that means you both enjoy the delights of the Bronte's gothic moods and appreciate the light mocking that it gets.
No comments:
Post a Comment