Review by David Munro

ON arriving at the Richmond Theatre last night, I was informed that the producers of the play requested that my review of Festen should not disclose the intricacies and secrets of the plot.

On leaving the theatre three hours later, I wished that I had been barred from the production as I had been for Sweeney Todd.

However, in obedience to the producers’ request I will confine my exposition of the plot to what was disclosed by the pre- production publicity literature I received.

“Patriach Helge Klingenfelt is celebrating his 60th birthday with his family at a magnificent old house in the Danish countryside.”

The magnificent old house is never seen but the birthday is celebrated on a bare stage with a square bed which pops up from time to time from under it; a long dining table that clearly originated in that well-known Danish firm, Ikea, which cast- members bring on in sections when required (and at which the cast sit in a row and stare at the audience) and a large screen at the back made out of leftover blackout material which opens and closes to allow the actors to escape from the monotony of the proceedings.

That this won the Evening Standard award for Design (according to the publicity handout) makes one wonder as to the justification for such awards.

“Gathered together are his loyal wife, Else, his daughter, Helene, and sons, Christian and Michael. As the evening progresses Christian feels compelled to break the silence surrounding a dark family secret.”

Big deal – the play is based on Danish director, Thomas Vinterberg’s film of the same name (now adapted for the stage by David Eldridge), which was the first Dogme movement film.

Dogme is school of film that believes in stripping film – getting rid of its glamour and going back to the basic fundamentals of film and story. Well, certainly the set and its encumbrances were faithful to this.

As to the storyline – well let us say the dark secret is no novelty and has formed the basis for better plays than this. What may be rotten in the state of Denmark is vieux jeu on the English stage.

To continue: “The effect is explosive and sets the tone for a celebration no one will forget, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.”

Well, you could have fooled me; there was plenty of twisting and turning by the actors as they emoted their lines and simulated certain physical actions meant to represent sexual encounters natural or otherwise. Certainly, as performed by this cast the effect of the “secret” was far from explosive, more a damp squib I would say.

Possibly, when originally performed with actors of the calibre of Stephen Moore and Jane Asher there might have been a greater dramatic fallout that could have explained why it was nominated for five Olivier awards (I quote again from the publicity). But last night’s performance wouldn’t even qualify for a nomination for a wooden spoon.

There is nothing like a Dane and there is certainly, one would hope, nothing like the Danish family portrayed in Festen. Boorish, foul-mouthed and inadequate, they leave the Dingles in Emmerdale looking like county aristocrats (for those of you who aren’t addicted to television soaps, the Dingles are an overdrawn, dysfunctional family living in a Yorkshire village whose bad behaviour is a byword).

Again, I felt that had the cast progressed from the amateur dramatic school of overacting and under expression there might have been some dramatic tension sparked. As it was they came across as boring and not worth the price of admission.

As you will gather, I have not betrayed the producers’ behest as to the intricacies of the plot. In fact, I never discovered what they were, possibly the director gave up on the task and the cast allotted to him and took them home with him for use on a better occasion.

As a lady in the audience said to me upon leaving the theatre, the whole evening was a lot of silences signifying nothing. So much for the Evening Standard award for best director!

In pursuance to the producers’ request therefore, and in memory of the lady in the audience and of a more dramatic Danish son, “the rest is silence”.

Directed by Rufus Norris.
Designer – Ian MacNeil.
Costume Designer – Joan Wadge.
Lighting – Jean Kalman.
Sound – Paul Arditti.
Fight Director – Terry King.
Music by Orlando Gough.

CAST: Christine Coulson; Lucianne McEvoy; Laurence Mitchell; Will Barton; Miranda Foster; Belinda Sinclair; Rupert Frazer; Camilla Artwedson; David Beames; Walter Hall; Robert Goodale; Neal Barry; Mark Theodore; Sinead Goodall; Alice Knight; Mae Wright.
Bill Kenwright and Maria Rubin, by arrangement with Birmingham Repertory Company, present The Almeida Theatre Production.
Richmond Theatre, The Green, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 IQJ.
Mon, April 24 – Saturday, April 29, 2006.
Evenings: 7.45pm/Matinees Wed & Sat: 2.30pm
Box Office: 0870 060 6651