Drama
It is Trinity term in Oxford and what could give us that summer feeling better than this Tom Stoppard drama? The events of the play alternate between 1809 and the present day. It is a story about the games people played in the past and still play today - the paths we choose, the lives we live, the people we meet, the search for a sense of significance. The drama plays on one's emotions, carefully mixing sadness and humour, leaving the audience unsure whether to laugh or cry. Stoppard dwells on the importance of words and their ambiguity as well as making excellent use of his famed sharpness and wit. Seeing 'Arcadia' is an opportunity to touch the ideal and yet, at the same time to be safe from its dangerous consequences.
Director Madeleine Mayne is evidently a fan of the play and the result of her enthusiasm is worth seeing. Arcadia will often bring a smile to your face, the discussions between Thomasina Coverly (Charlotte Murphy) and her tutor Septimus Hodge (Ian Anderson) are charmingly executed and Hannah Jarvis's (Catherine Greenwood) remarks about the lecture given by her friend have an amusing touch. The characters are human - weak and strong, good and bad, right and wrong. All of them are searching for something, looking for a conclusion like everyone else. Mayne brings out the realness of the characters by making them seem multifaceted rather than two-dimensional.
It is also good to know that all ticket-holders get a free drink so you can relax drinking Pimms on the lawn while watching a very enjoyable play. Stormy weather will not be a problem, as the action will move to the Wadham Moser theatre in the case of rain.
The style of Andy King's latest offering is more pantomime than Pinter. Paul (Alex Lavy) and Lulu (Susie Braun) are deeply in love and it seems like nothing on Earth can prevent their imminent marriage. Soon, as is to be expected in a farce, unforeseen events take control and the revelations of an orphan who apparently grew up in a Zulu village, lead to the marriage being called off. This is the first of many surreal plot twists which lead the audience into King's world of happy absurdity. He also somehow manages to fit in the Oxford Gargoyles' musical repertoire with minimal incongruity. The ambition of this musical, with the singers maintaining pitch and tempo with no orchestral support, is staggering.
With lines like "We are in the business of pleasuring the public through these delightfully charming young ladies" delivered in an inflatable sex toy factory, this musical seems designed more for enjoyment than to stimulate philosophical interest. At the preview, though, some of the actors lacked the confidence to capitalize on the absurdity of their characters. Although it may be hard for the audience to empathise with Lulu's past affections for a gangly accident-prone lap dancer, they are likely to enjoy Danny's (John Rendel) semi-naked body moving faster than a semi-naked body should do.
Indeed, The combination of nudity, ridiculous hair Ali G inspired identity crisis and exquisite harmony should leave you with a smile on your face.
'The Gondoliers' is a web of ambiguities. One of the two gondoliers is king but no-one knows which. Casilda is married to one of the gondoliers but she is not sure which one. In true comic style each one of these complications is capitalised upon, bringing about the farcical situation of Marco and Giuseppe's joint kingship over Barataria. The backdrop to the light-hearted nature of the play is in fact a satirical exploration of socialist ideals, Gilbert and Sullivan allow the audience to engage with the play as light-hearted entertainment and as social commentary.
This performance by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society conveys the brightness and energy that is so characteristic of the pair's music. Despite the vocally exacting nature of most of the songs, the cast manage to maintain a consistently high standard of singing throughout. Soprano Chantelle Staynings particularly shines in her performance as Casilda; singing by Tom West (Giuseppe) and Paul Graver (Marco) is also impressive. The acting, however, lets this performance down. The majority of actors render extremely static performances and are unconvincing, most others shifting between exaggeration and impassionate verbosity.
Due to the play's performance in Wesley Memorial Church, this production is limited to extremely basic costume and no set. As it is the illusion of colourful costume and the director's use of set which is so crucial to many Gilbert and Sullivan operas and to the play in general, this performance will fail to connect with many. However, for the Gilbert and Sullivan fan the standard of singing is a sure attraction; for the average audience it is merely a distraction.
6th Jun 2002