Celebrating its 5th anniversary and Shakespeare’s 450th, this year Sport For Jove brings us a most fabulous production of this lesser known, rarely performed complex and difficult ‘problem play’ by Shakespeare .
The play has a quite improbable, rather dark, implausible plot ( one can imagine it straight out of a TV soap – a desperately ill king healed , unrequited love leading to a forced marriage , a very intelligent woman foolishly chasing – going to extremes even – a man who has nothing but disdain and humiliation for her, a ‘bed trick’ ( recorded on a mobile )and eventually a reconciliation all in times of war. It is both a tragedy and a comedy Under the gripping direction of Damien Ryan and with its very strong, superb cast the audience can focus on the situations drama and story especially of Helena and Bertram and their emotional development. It has been updated with the use of mobile phones etc .Shakespeare’s language is clearly delivered and feels fresh and new.
Raising issues of the value of virginity and a maiden’s honour against the backdrop of war and military honour,this plays questions the meaning and honour of both of these in awkward, testing circumstances . Issues of war ,battle security and betrayal are juxtaposed with portrayals of love and family . Ryan takes elements of tension eroticism ,humour and shock that are encapsulated in the original text, but also makes the plot line understandable and the central story gripping .
The joyous sharp artists’ eye will greatly appreciate the full frontal nudity in the hot and steamy sauna scenes in Act1 when Helena chooses her unwilling husband Bertram .( Lots of haze , dry ice etc) .Toby Knyvett‘s lighting is masterful. Antoinette Barboutis‘ set designs utilise the stage wonderfully , sections slide in/out /up/down to become elegant rooms at Court , a military training camp, a field hospital tent ,a troop transport, a young rakes’ elegant black bedroom etc etc .
As troubled Helena Francesca Savige was sensational, giving a luminous performance. She dazzlingly combines a spark of exuberant energy , resolution and considered determination .We first see her talking to herself and revealing to us the audience her hidden love for Bertram .Her healing of the king is deep and mysterious. We also see the kind, bright and vivacious side of her persona. Can she be happy? Will things work out? Her quest for a sense of wholeness and honour is hard fought and won with massive difficulty .
Her most unwilling husband Bertram was terrifically played by very handsome Edmund Lembke-Hogan’s . He gives a fine , spirited performance as the charismatic princely rising young military man full of life and energy and also chillingly precise . He is very conscious of his status and position in society yet he gets into hot water with Diana. For him the revelations about Helena and her ‘return to life’ are a shattering, life changing experience .
Special mention must be made of the terrific playing of George Banders as arty ,designer label loving Parolles . There is a dangerous wit hidden by his flamboyant tendencies and penchant for scarves . Is he perhaps a bit in love with Helena ? Charming, brave, gallant ,joyous and wonderful – his ‘pretend’ capture and sticky –tape torture by his ‘mates’ is deeply disturbing and terribly cruel , perhaps reminding us of Malvolio’s fate in Twelfth Night . In some ways he is The Outsider as is shown to a degree by his rather peacock like clothes and bearing.
The ensemble work is brilliant – the troupe of young men/ soldiers (Robin Goldsworthy, Michel Pigott, Christopher Stalley, Damien Strouthos Christopher Tomkinson) are by turns very impressive, tough and wittily funny .
The King of France is played by Robert Alexander who brings massive gravitas and experience with enormous attention to detail in this smallish but very imposing role . Sandra Eldridge (Countess Rousillon) and Eloise Winestock (Diana, Helena’s stand-in for the play’s “bed trick”) give strong performances too. The bleak ,grisly humour of the ‘clown’ Lavatch (Sam Haft) is here hauntingly accentuated by playing him as a severely wounded soldier flirting with his Florentine nurses, his legs blown off at the knees.
A superb, fresh , crisp and vivid performance of this dark, unusual play .Running time 3 hour 10 mins(approx) including one interval Sport For Jove’s ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ plays in rep with their ‘Twelfth Night’ until 12 April.
For more about Shakespeare’s ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ by Sport For Jove, visit http://www.sportforjove.com.au