Old Red Lion Theatre
Reviewed on Thursday 4th April 2013
Reviewed on Thursday 4th April 2013
'The Blind' and 'The Intruder' are both daring plays written by Maurice Maeterlinck. Upon entry to the small but quaint performance space the two actors are already on stage ready to begin. The theatre is dark which immediately creates an eerie atmosphere. Both plays are beautifully designed with incredible attention to detail.
The main problem lies with the storyline of both plays, I struggled to see the point. The Intruder tells the tale of a blind grandfather who can sense a ghost in their midst which scares and confuses his family. The title makes the storyline predictable, from the start I was waiting to see who was going to intrude on what...
The storyline of The Blind is even weaker and goes nowhere. The play is about eight blind mental health patients who are in a room with their priest hanging behind them. The dialogue mainly consists of gibberish and once again the storyline is far too obvious, from the beginning I could guess they would stumble upon the body and freak out.
The performances from the cast were considerably stronger in The Blind although occasionally the acting was too over the top. This became humourous during moments which should have been serious. I don't think the problem lies with the direction as the text does not provide much to work with. The concepts of both plays are good ideas but lack depth.
Darren Beaumont gives a stand out performance in The Intruder, giving a strong and believable performance. I think these plays need to go back to the drawing board so further possibilities can be explored.
Reviewed by Jamie Chapman Dixon
contact@westendframe.com
'The Blind' and 'The Intruder' runs at the Old Read Lion Theatre until 27th April 2013.
Please visit www.redliontheatres.co.uk for further information and to book tickets.
Keep up to date with the latest theatre news, reviews & interviews on Twitter: @West_End_Frame
'The Blind' and 'The Intruder' runs at the Old Read Lion Theatre until 27th April 2013.
Please visit www.redliontheatres.co.uk for further information and to book tickets.
Keep up to date with the latest theatre news, reviews & interviews on Twitter: @West_End_Frame
The plays are symbolist. I guess only intelligent people will get it. I saw this tonight and was blown away. Great acting, great direction, excellent design. Shame the reviewer is too ignorant to get it.
ReplyDeleteJamie Chapman Dixon, Maurice Maeterlinck died in 1949, how exactly do you expect him to take these plays 'back to the drawing board'?
ReplyDeleteShocked to read the above comments! So many theatre critics are personal and rude but this one justifies himself and has tried to find the positives!
ReplyDeleteThe above comments are rude and make out only people who are intelligent should go to the theatre - how stupid! Not impressed, very unprofessional and desperate. Will not be seeing this production.
Ironic that an individual with so little insight has critiqued two plays on "the sightlessness of man." The most basic research would have informed my esteemed colleague that the much overlooked, yet Nobel winning Maeterlinck wrote in symbolist style and that the plays are extended metaphors. He criticises the storyline of the plays, but the intentional ambiguity and distinct lack of one is precisely the point. The characters in The Blind are not “mental health patients” but representative of composites of the human psyche. With the death of religion obviously represented by the hanging priest they squabble and stumble as judgement day approaches. To assume that “The Intruder” is a ghost is the most laughable reading I’ve ever come across. If anything literal, it is clearly some embodiment of death, scythe reference et all. This review is poorly observed, poorly written and that it is published at all is an embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteMaurice Maeterlinck was a seminal symbolist writer. Criticising a Nobel winning writer is downright ignorant and embarrassing. I suggest to westendframe that if they want to send someone to review a play, they make sure the reviewer has a basic understanding of theatre first.
ReplyDeleteAn intelligent review -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/38414/the-blind-the-intruder
Maybe you should stick to watching 'Glee' ;)
Superb direction, design, lighting design and, above all, a terrific cast. Maybe only professional critics should review theatre? I cite Michael Billington in The Guardian. Know who I trust
ReplyDeleteHmmm what a shame that Michael Billington didn't review this show... Hahahaa
ReplyDeleteGuess you don't read the Guardian then!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy west end frame's reviews. It is one of the websites I consult before booking shows - I read newspapers like the express and then the stage and then west end frame because reviews are not fact - they are opinion! And how wonderful that a little show nobody has really heard about in islington can cause so much outcry! Some people clearly adore it and some people clearly hate it - that is what theatre is all about. There is nothing wrong with this. I respect and trust Michael Billington and Mark Shenton from the papers and Andrew Tomlins from west end frame all equally (plus one stop arts, west end wilma etc..)
ReplyDeleteAlso what a shame everyone has posted and not left their name! At least Jamie is not afraid to publish his name - I think that says alot.
Re Lizzie's comment, reviewers cannot be anonymous. By the very nature of their trade they have to be held accountable for their reviews/opinions/discourse etc. This particular reviewer seems to have got this production so wrong, given the comments above, that people are engaged in a debate. It seems to me to be a healthy one, whether they decide to put their names to their comments or not. 'Jamie is not afraid to publish his name'? Afraid? He's 'supposedly' a critic. That's his job. Comment is free.
ReplyDelete