Doktor Glas
Wyndham's Theatre
Reviewed on Thursday 18th April 2013 (Press Night)
Doktor Glas is a one-man play performed in Swedish with English surtitles, the production comes to London following an acclaimed run at Sweden’s National Theatre. Doktor Glas is ninety minutes long without an interval... but do not be fooled, it is ninety minutes of hard work. Trying to follow the storyline without missing Krister Henriksson's detailed performance is quite a challenge.
Doktor Glas is a 19th century physician who falls for the wife of a corrupt clergyman. She confides in Doktor Glas, telling him that she is unhappy in her marriage so Doktor Glas agrees to help her. At times the story is intense but occasionally I struggled to keep up with what was going on as I wanted to pay more attention to the design and acting.
Peder Bjurman's set design is interesting. At first it seems simple and tidy but cleverly as the story progresses the stage becomes cluttered and messy. The lighting design is also brilliant, the back wall changes colour to emulate certain emotions which creates some powerful imagery. Of course this helps to tell the story, as when watching a play in a foreign language it is essential that information can be told through non-verbal communication.
Krister Henriksson is outstanding as Doktor Glas. Performing a one-man show must be exhausting but Krister shows little sign of tiredness and portrays every emotion from deep within. He invites the audience to relive Doktor Glas's story.
Unfortunately I failed to become engaged and drawn in. The surtitles are reflected on the top of the back wall so it was impossible to follow the story while watching the performance which became frustrating. Upon reflection, I would like to have seen more periods of silence. Clever direction can enable movement to tell an audience a lot about a character such as their inner thoughts and feelings. The running time could easily be shortened to fasten the pace which would keep the piece intriguing and engaging.
While at times the story is serious and saddening, there are also moments of hilarity. The play features both verbal and physical comedy which is a nice way to make an audience feel at ease. Doktor Glas sits beautifully in the Wyndham's Theatre but I think it could also work well in a more intimate fringe venue, perhaps this would bring more tension and mystery. It is safe to say that there is nothing like Doktor Glas in the West End.
Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
Doktor Glas runs at the Wyndham's Theatre until 11th May 2013. Click here to book tickets.
Please visit www.drglas.com for further information.
Please visit www.drglas.com for further information.
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