David Mamet’s The Woods hasn’t always been all that warmly received by critics but has attained a status of notoriety for its portrayal of the ‘battle of the sexes’. Once banned from being performed in New York for almost a decade, the two-hander receives its first UK revival in 21 years at Southwark Playhouse, under the direction of Russell Bolam.
Nick and Ruth are spending the weekend at Nick’s summerhouse, perhaps Nick has brought other girls here in the past, but now, away from the grime and noise of the city, the couple’s fledgling relationship is put under immense pressure. Over the course of a single evening the pair play on each other’s weaknesses, exploiting them for their own gain.
For the first two acts of The Woods, Mamet’s script trickles along without anything of real note happening. It’s a slow burning introduction to the characters, Ruth is excitable and asks question after question. Nick is more reserved, almost bored of Ruth’s seemingly unending enthusiasm for the great outdoors.
Their differences become more apparent, leaving us to wonder how they got together in the first place. Nick’s slow transformation seems to come about for no reason, but still, it escalates the tensions, and the play becomes brutally violent, and sometimes uncomfortable.
Sitting underneath Anthony Lamble’s rustic wooden set, Sam Frenchum and Francesca Carpanini as Nick and Ruth respectively, save Mamet’s script from itself. Carpanini confidently flexes from the naïve Ruth of the early scenes to the more confident, battle-ready, powerful woman of the later scenes.
As for Nick, what has prompted the change of behaviour matters less thanks to Sam Frenchum’s captivating performance. Nick’s unpredictability is further emphasised by Frenchum, giving the audience a much deeper insight to the character.
Mamet has claimed in the past that audiences don’t necessarily understand The Woods because its subject matter is heterosexuality, and that was not a ‘hot topic’ in theatre. Perhaps, but it may also be because the script is lacking on several fronts, and the repetition and use of dream-like doesn’t make it any easier for the audience to connect.
In terms of writing, The Woods leaves a lot to be desired, but in this production, director Russell Bolam makes the most of the material, and the performances from Francesca Carpanini and Sam Frenchum gives the play new energy. It’s worth catching, because who knows, it may be another two decades before we see it in London again.
The Woods is at Southwark Playhouse until 26 March, 2022.
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