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Courtyard Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 23rd October 2013
Aria Entertainment's production of Blood Wedding certainly is not a piece of theatre to go and see if you fancy a fun night out! Instead, this interesting piece is for audiences who want to witness a Spanish drama and be affected by the complexity of human beings in relationships and in life. The Courtyard Theatre is located in the depths of trendy Hoxton and, although simplistic, Franciso Rodriguez-Wile's scenic design is very atmospheric.
Blood Wedding is described as a 'haunting tale of love, deceit, fate and vengeance' and is inspired by a true story. The play follows a mother who is still grieving for the loss of her husband who was killed as the result of a feud with the Felix family. However, she finds her son is due to marry an ex-lover of a Felix which, as you can imagine, causes some problems...
Federico Garcia Lorca's writing (translated by Tanya Ronder) captures absolute passion and the complexity of human emotion in his work, as I expected. Sadly I left the theatre feeling slightly underwhelmed by some of the performances. Most of the cast were good but some key characters, including The Bride, were a little weak. At times I failed to understand what Anna Bamberger was saying. While she captured some true emotion she seemed disconnected compared to other cast members.
A stand out performance comes from Cassidy Janson as the Servant who breathed truth and warmth into the entire performance. Nichola Duffett brings some much needed light and humour as the Neighbour. The use of music and dance brings energy and excitement to the piece and I would have liked to have this passion and energy throughout.
Matt Wilman's portrayal of Leonardo was captivating and passionate throughout. He seemed to drive the piece forward and took the audience on every step of Leonardo's journey. This production of Blood Wedding has potential to grow into something special over the course of the run.
contact@westendframe.com
Blood Wedding runs at the Courtyard Theatre until 16th November 2013.
Visit www.thecourtyard.org.uk for further information and tickets.
Click here to read West End Frame's big interview with Cassidy Janson.
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