Infinite Space Theatre’s adaptation of W. W. Jacobs’ The Monkey’s Paw at The Hope Theatre is an offbeat play about love, loss, hope, and greed, set against the backdrop of Edwardian London on the brink of war. The characters Jenny and John White, played by Josephine Rogers and Steven Maddocks, quickly waltz us through a condensed overview of their relationship – from meeting, to falling in love, marriage, pregnancy and creating a home together in South London, where this story begins. While this initial timeline is clearly delineated, the rest of the story’s timeline feels quite disjointed, with jumps between scenes that offer little context as to how our characters arrive there, leaving the audience to connect the dots. Nevertheless, Director Leah Townley’s decision to include a montage sequence effectively accelerates the story and introduces a cinematic quality that I have rarely seen in theatre, which I enjoyed.
We are swiftly introduced to the monkey’s paw, thought to be an ancient Egyptian artefact that John brings home one day from his job at the museum. The paw stands as a symbol of both hope and greed, offering its holder three wishes. However, unlike the benevolent dynamic between Aladdin and the Genie, the paw places an increasing strain on the Whites’ relationship, as their wishes land with disastrous, tragic consequences. The paw serves as a reminder that you should be careful what you wish for, and to seek contentment with your present rather than what could come of your future. This is always a humbling reminder for those of you who, like me, can at times, fantasise about what your life could one day look like, while paying little attention to what your present looks like.
If you aren’t a fan of the horror franchise Annabelle, then you best look away when Herbert comes on stage. Herbert is the toy son of Jenny and John who Jenny loves and cares for; projecting her yearning for children of her own. All is not as it seems with Herbert, and there is a sinister but tragic undercurrent to his existence which is unravelled towards the end of the play. The slow pace of this revelation often blurs the line between imagination and reality; at several points, I was left confused, wondering whether Herbert is a figment of Jenny’s imagination or an actual presence in her world. By the time Jenny leans into her affinity for Herbert, the moment – perhaps intended to be touching – did nothing to quell my confusion, nor tug on my heartstrings.
While Rogers and Maddocks are two talented actors, Rogers had quite a stiff emotional range, and there were times that I hoped she would express herself more enthusiastically. Instead, her delivery was often quite monotonous. Maddocks on the other hand delivers a far more compelling performance, expressing greater emotional range than Rogers. Nonetheless, both Rogers and Maddocks brought warmth, wit and some hysterical tendencies to their characters and to the stage, which was entertaining and engaging.
The Monkey’s Paw didn’t knock my socks off, but the portrayal of a young English couple with a poverty-stricken and broken world at their feet and an ancient mummified baby looming over them is both intriguing and unusual. While it does not stand as one of the strongest plays I have seen, it distinguishes itself as a distinct and unusual tale, perhaps rooted in and reflective of the time in which W. W. Jacobs was writing.
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