Theatre Special: The Recruiting Officer

THE RECRUITING OFFICER - DONMAR WAREHOUSE

Stars - Tobias Menzies, Mackenzie Crook, Mark Gatiss, Rachael Stirling, Nicholas Burns, Nancy Carroll

Director - Josie Rourke

Memorable Quote - "Unless we could make ourselves some pleasure amidst the pain, no mortal man would be able to bear it."

Review - This showing of George Farquhar's excellent play ends tomorrow (14th April 2012) so I would suggest you've probably run out of time to go see it - and if you have not seen it, you have missed out. A thoroughly entertaining piece to start with, great use is made of the Donmar's layout in intricate choreography between each scene, placing the players around the stage, in the wings, and on small balconies on the second level. A group of five musicians accompany the play throughout with rousing choruses of 'Over the Hills and Far Away' along with other songs to capture the mood of particular scenes, each of them also taking turns to play all of the smaller parts in various different costumes and accents.

Mackenzie Crook, though playing a relatively small part for his star status, manages to conquer the stage completely during his scenes. As the gypsy fortune-teller he is hilarious, pitching his expression and tone perfectly to get the most laughs out of each line. Similarly laugh-a-minute is Mark Gatiss, virtually unrecognisable in heavily powdered and rouged face and long wig. Playing the French-hating Francophile Captain Brazen, m'dear, he captures the audience from his first appearance, throwing his hat at a member of the front row (in our case, a customer who was rather rudely reading his programme rather than watching the performance - to the joy of everyone else). In the end though you cannot help but root for the central character, Captain Plume, in his efforts to win the lady he loves - Sylvia.

Though the whole is filled with laughs, tricks, and musical gaiety, the ending holds a subtle twist. The comedy conclusion plays out as expected: the right men marry the right women, any misdemeanours are forgiven and forgotten, and the recruiting officers manage to recruit enough men to satisfy their superiors. All is well - but the band's final performance of 'Over the Hills and Far Away' sees one put down their instruments and march off to war after each verse. Finally only one remains, a lone voice now sounding very unsure of himself, and at last he too departs - a sloppy salute, a march that has no drum to beat time for it, and a sob at leaving home remind us that the subject of the play is the recruitment of untrained men to a life of glory that does not in actuality await them. The inherent tragedy of the situation then comes back to us: these men will die in battle or drown, or else come back disfigured or so forth - and the merriment they cause in the port is their only respite from a life of danger.

Laughter, sadness, good acting, good music, and audience interaction - the ingredients of a great play. From me, a resounding 5/5.

Theatre Special: Richard II at the Donmar Warehouse

RICHARD II

Stars - Eddie Redmayne, Andrew Buchan, Ron Cook, Sian Thomas, Ben Turner

Director - Michael Grandage

Theatre - Donmar Warerhouse

Memorable Quote - 'Within the hollow crown that rounds the mortal temples of a King keeps Death his court.'

Review - What actors Eddie Redmayne and Andrew Buchan are! Allow me to set the scene: you enter the Donmar and take your assigned place, chatter amongst yourselves and wait for the show to begin; all the while Eddie Redmayne sits zen-like on a carved wooden throne, centre stage, his eyes closed. He wears a luxurious white full-length coat with blue lining and a gold crown, and carries a sceptre. Bells begin to toll and music swells; assorted cast members enter the stage, kneel before their King, and take a position behind him; still he does not stir. Finally he springs into action like a toy coming to life, and his portrayal of a boy-like King during the first half is both amusing and somehow hollow. You get the impression that he is playing at being a King, making the right proclamations and joking about matters of life and death, without any real seriousness; only when John of Gaunt reproaches him do we see something "real". He changes his mind at a word or gesture from those who influence him, but cannot bear to stand by even his own proclamations, changing them at the last moment. Buchan meanwhile steals the first scene, before we even know his significance (unless of course you've read the play): he is hot-headed and passionate in his defense of the King, although suddenly withdrawn and less bold when he learns of his exile. There is some foreshadowing there of what his next actions will be.

The stage is gorgeous: light falls as if through high castle windows, the sounds of birdsong are heard faintly, and you arrive to a cloud of sweet-smelling wood smoke. The use of a balcony area and lower stage allows two scenes to go on at once at some points, and also allows symbolism of status and power. Costuming is also impressive - particularly of note is that long coat worn by Richard in the first half, and though Redmayne may not have quite as accomplished a sweep as one Mr Cumberbatch, it suits him well and lends a sense of drama to his entrances and exits.

The second half, when we return from the interval, is a different beast. Now Redmayne truly comes alive - he is lost, broken, unsure, grieving, angry, meek; when giving up the crown he is tormented, wrenching it away from Buchan's grasp with a howl. The boy playing at being King is become a King playing at being an ordinary man. Buchan is no longer the lowly petitioner Bullingbrook but a vengeful and powerful challenger for the throne, his brown and simple clothing a warrior-like contrast to Richard's gilt and luxurious garments.

Over the course of this second part the tide of favour turns: one cannot help but pity Richard and hope for his return to the throne, as he struggles to conceal a rapidly unravelling identity beneath courtly manners and praise of Bullingbrook that borders on sycophantic. He covers the stage, pacing from one side to the other or leaping across with a newfound, desperate energy. Passion appears as he is separated from his wife, and the heartbreak of it is enough to turn the audience against the new King Henry and such rulings as the one that separates them, particularly in contrast to his reluctance to allow duels. Redmayne also demonstrates a singing voice that is not half bad in the final scene, in which a little humour is not misplaced. The great comedic turn comes however in the form of the wry Duke of York, particularly in his delivery of certain lines and the way he opposes the appeal of his wife and son; only one actor seems to let the cast down, as is often sadly the case, and he speaks few enough lines to almost be ignored. The most laughs come, ultimately, at the throwing of multiple gages during Aumerle's confrontation of Bullingbrook's supporters.

As they take their bows it is possible to observe a difference between the two principal actors. Buchan exudes a quiet triumphance as if he accepts his rightful due: not yet Buchan again perhaps, something of Bullingbrook lingers in his gaze and expression. It is difficult to look away from Redmayne in order to notice this, however - with an ever-moving eye he seems desperate to record the faces of every single audience member, sweeping each row as many times as he can. He returns almost to the boyish uncertainty of the King, seeking to see whether what he has done was good; and good it most certainly was. Though he may be older already than his looks and mannerisms seem to imply, a long and accomplished career may yet be waiting for him.

5/5