Tom Littler’s adaptation of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s The Rivals at The Orange Tree Theatre is a tremendous hoot, filled with love, deception, toe-tapping 1920s music and some bonkers personalities. Set in 1920s Bath, the play follows Jack Absolute, played by Kit Young, and his romance with heiress Lydia Languish, played by Zoe Brough. Unfortunately for Jack, cementing this romance is anything but straightforward, as the meddling antics of their riotous family and friends, especially when there is talk of a duel, turn his quest into a far more complicated affair.
Young is Shakespearian in his delivery, which feels a little out of place for a play set some 300 years after his death. Nonetheless, he delivers a brilliant performance as our noble protagonist and the chemistry he creates with those he shares the stage with is palpable. Brough is equally glorious; she captivates the audience as well as her various onstage suitors, delivering a compelling and entertaining performance as the slightly ditzy Lydia, a woman who is just seeking love and a little bit of poverty. Though the entire cast is superbly talented, the absolute standout comes from James Sheldon, who portrays the perpetually flustered, larger than life, Faulty Faulkland. Sheldon’s comedic timing is impeccable and his exaggerated mannerisms are endlessly entertaining. His ability to command an audience on a busy stage is thrilling; the anticipation of his humour keeps the audience on tenterhooks, with all eyes fixed firmly on him.
The remarkable Patricia Hodge is effortlessly charming as Mrs Malaprop, Lydia’s interfering aunt whose vocabulary knows no boundless. (If you know, you know). Hodge has this incredible ability to captivate a room through her expressions and mannerisms alone, but the humour comes from her mincing of words. The execution of her malapropisms are well paced, well placed, and thoroughly entertaining. Similarly, Robert Bathhurst is excellent in his portrayal of Anthony Absolute. Bathhurst’s enunciation and pacing of his dialogue with everchanging emotional charge is most impressive. You don’t quite know what to expect from Absolute, for he flitters from one state of mind to the next, but if one thing is for certain, it’s that he’ll be in a frenzy.
The casting of these eccentric characters is spot on. Dylan Corbett Bader portrays country squire Bob Acres, with his over the top characterisation and exaggerated West Country accent brilliantly; Boadicea Ricketts has a subtlety to her humour that is not over pronounced, but provides some memorable laugh out loud moments. This 12 person cast is stellar, and there is such an ease with which they fall into their characters that in some cases, you almost forget or perhaps hope that they aren’t acting at all.
Littler’s decision to incorporate the characters into the scene changes, dancing to the upbeat 1920s dancehall music as they change the props from one scene to the next, is great. It breaks up what can often be a clanky, disruptive display; instead, keeping the audience engaged and the performance rolling. Had the characters not utterly charmed me, I might have otherwise found the two step here and knee shake there a little cringe inducing. Another creative choice to project the scene headings across the stage, an approach rarely seen in contemporary theatre, proved effective in clearly guiding the audience through the progression of the play’s events, unfolding throughout the course of one day.
Something else that struck me about this adaptation is the combination of old and contemporary English language. Though first performed in 1775, there were various contemporary references interwoven into the dialogue, offering additional comedic value to an already very amusing and quick witted play. To be able to successfully make a play that was written 250 years ago relevant to contemporary culture is commendable, and based off the laughter of the audience, Littler certainly succeeded here. Hearing a character written in 1775 ask her fiancé in 1920s Bath why he is dressed like a Traitor, is something that can only be seen to be fully appreciated.
I can’t possibly review a play that is set in the South West without noting, as someone who grew up in the West Country and has too often heard some terrible impersonations, that the cast nailed the accents. Props to dialect coach Nick Trumble for working his magic, here.
The Rivals is tremendously funny, and there are several occasions where the cast could easily break character, indulging the audience’s laughter, yet they hold composure; an indicator of the true professionalism and talent of this cast (though I’m sure this was not always the case when rehearsing!) It truly feels as though the cast are inviting you to have fun with them. When it is clear that the cast are, above all, enjoying themselves, that enjoyment is contagious, and the audience shares in it as well. The chemistry between the cast is discernible, coming alive in the final dance hall scene, though by this point, the audience is so enthralled with the play that it doesn’t quite matter how this comedy comes to a close.
Littler’s adaptation of The Rivals is a marvellous production in which every immensely talented cast member shines, and I look forward to seeing what he has planned next.
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