REVIEW: Decadence
Decadence
Burton Taylor, 30 May - 3 June
He’ll think he’s Shakespeare” — this line from Spring’s Awakening accurately describes Berkoff’s self-adulation, and, coincidentally, is one of the few printable quotations from Decadence. Berkoff uses expletives as often as other playwrights use verbs — but behind this is a subtle interplay of class and personality. Did I say subtle? Sorry. Subtle, Berkoff is not.
He chooses rather easy targets — racists, the upper class, upper class racists — and is not shy in depicting the sexual potential of horse-riding. It feels on occasion as though one has accidentally wandered into a fetishist’s most immoral fantasies. The play has only four characters: Steve, who is having an affair with Helen, is married to Sybil, who hires private investigator Les to check up on Steve. Confused? It gets more complex — the cast consists of only two members.
David Cochrane plays the males; Molly Davies the females. The excellent cast and direction make the best of this difficult material. Molly Davies demonstrates she is wonderfully adept in duologue. Cochrane does not quite keep up, but is far from incapable — and Griffith Rees’ admirable direction cleverly keeps the play active without being frenetic.
Little could salvage Berkoff’s self-indulgent script, but the team behind this production have achieved the difficult and made this a play worth seeing. Just do not take your grandmother.
25th May 2006