The Rivals - Richmond Theatre
Review by David Munro
THE Rivals is one of the classic comedies of the English Theatre and Mrs Malaprop is one of the classic comedy roles for an actress.
Written in the 18th Century, it is a typical plot of mistaken identities, comic servants and old men, outraged parents and guardians, misunderstood heroes and beautiful heroines.
Jack Absolute (Nicholas Boulton) is in love with Lydia Languish (Jasmine Hyde), a wealthy heiress who longs to be loved for herself.
He therefore takes the guise of Ensign Beverley, a poor soldier, and successfully woos her.
Another suitor is Bob Acres (Ian Midlane), a friend of Jack’s and a typical country bumpkin.
Jack’s father, Sir Anthony Absolute (George Baker), is determined that Jack shall wed Lydia and plots with Lydia’s Aunt, Mrs Malaprop (Stephanie Cole), to achieve his ends.
Bob Acres tells Sir Lucius O’Trigger (John O’Toole), a fiery Irishman, that his rival is Ensign Beverley not realising that he is really Jack.
Sir Lucius incites Bob Acres to challenge ‘Beverley’ to a duel which is to take place at the same time as the one Sir Lucius intends to fight with Jack.
After various further complications all is resolved, the lovers united and the subsidiary characters satisfactorily paired off.
As you see the plot exists in a world so far removed from the present that, unless it is performed with style and taken seriously, it can appear artificial and boring.
The director, Christopher Monahan, appears to have decided the best way to combat the plot’s inherent artificiality is to take everything at breakneck speed, salted with an element of over-emphasis with the result the cast gabbled their lines at such a pace as to be virtually inaudible and waved their arms about as if to semaphore the meanings of their dramatic emotions to the audience.
The character which suffered most from this was Mrs Malaprop whose raison d’etre is the fact that she mixes up her words and it is therefore imperative that her dialogue should be sharp and crisp.
Alas, Stephanie Cole’s was not and from where I was sitting only two words out of three were audible thereby nullifying the humorous impact of her character.
The lovers managed better and both Nicholas Boulton and Jasmine Hyde, particularly the latter, came across with charm and style thereby saving the evening from total disaster.
George Baker, in what is a not very impressive part, did what he could with it, making one wish Sheridan had given the character more to say and do.
The rest of the cast were adequate and, with one exception, were not too bad even if they did give one the impression that they felt that Sheridan’s comedy was an excuse for mugging and overacting which, given the director’s handling of the piece, was understandable.
My feeling at the end of the evening was that, if you haven’t got a cast capable of playing 18th Century comedy in the manner it deserves – why bother?
A view obviously not endorsed by Mr Monahan as this unhappy production evidences.
The Rivals By Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Directed by – Christopher Morahan.
Designer – Mark Bailey.
Lighting – Ben Ormerod.
Sound – Marcus Christensen.
CAST: Stephanie Cole; George Baker; Mathew Cullum; Martin Chamberlain; Daisy Ashford; Nicholas Boulton; Jasmine Hyde; Kirsty Besterman; Jamie de Courcey; Ian Midlane; Clare Fraenkel; John O’Toole; Elsbeth Benjafield; Matt Hebden; David Horne; Martin Miller.
Presented by Theatre Royal Bath and Kenneth H. Wax.
Richmond Theatre, The Green, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 IQJ.
Mon, Nov 28 – Sat, Dec 3, 2005
Evenings 7.45.pm.
Matinees Wed. & Sat. 2.30pm.
Box Office:- 0870 060 6651