22nd February - 3rd March 2007
This Ibsen-esque production immediately drew the audience in with some extremely strong acting, and a script that crackled with passion and wit.
The scene depicted a cozy kitchen in 19th Century Brixton, and the play focused on Vincent Van Gogh’s early years as an art dealer, working for a company in London. The writer, who won the Olivier Award for best new play in 2003 for this production, bases the script on “bits and pieces” of evidence, mainly the letters he wrote to his brother, Theo.
Phillip Cumbus, who depicts the young Vincent, manages to convey the beginnings of an unharnessed genius with an incredibly electric performance. He was met by Francesca Ryan, who played the owner of the lodgings, and eventually the love interest of Vincent. This was an emotive performance of a character struggling through a dark and difficult time. All the other actors supported well, most notably Anna Lauren who played Vincent’s sister, Anna, who injected a sense of authenticity and comedy into the production.
The set remained the same throughout the production, however far from making the production feel static the constant movement of the characters through the ‘house’ gave a great sense of dramatic irony. The fully operating domestic appliances including running water on stage also richly enhanced the feel of the production. However there were some disappointing scene changes that we felt were long and really rather leisurely. This was a real disappointment which we found hard to shrug off once the acting began again.
Aside from that, this remarkable play gave a real insight into the artist's early years and experiences that may have perhaps influenced his later work. The play was reminiscent of continental writers such as Chekov and the play expressed real issues and left the audience wanting more. It certainly instilled in us the urge to further research the artist and his incredible life.
Christina Sutton & Henry Petrides
27th February 2007 |