ADC
Tuesday 18 - Saturday 22 November
Dir: Ben E Kavanagh and Michèle Murez; CUADC

Three Stars

Wedekind’s play has often been banned because of its inflammatory content. Set in the 1800s in Germany, the story follows a group of school children, battling with pubescent desires which society forbids them from acknowledging. When Melchior Gabor, writes an essay entitled ‘On Copulation’ for his best friend, Moritz, chaos ensues.

Ben Kavanagh and Michèle Murez's production had its strong points: the dialogues between Melchior and Moritz (played by Rory Stallibrass and Alex Lass respectively) were wonderfully handled, conveying the boys’ childlike excitement and curiosity. Katherine Jack and Patrick Garety as Melchior’s parents were also compelling: creating an emotional realism lacking elsewhere in the production. Sian Docksey handled the role of Wendla Bergman well, conveying the girl’s simple innocence.

The play began well: plainsong psalms set the scene effectively. However, after this promising opening, the production hit problems. In their program notes, the directors wrote "we came to our own conclusion that the play was probably never written to be performed." Surely an uncertain foundation from which to begin. Spring Awakening is undoubtedly challenging to stage but an admission of defeat in the program notes is surely an inappropriate response. Wedekind writes long, philosophical monologues which quickly became wearing. These were not aided by bad delivery: speaking too quickly, shouting incoherently and slurring were all common problems.

Nicholas Gebbet's lighting design was ambitious, but its execution seemed flawed at points: all too often people were fully lit when silent, while the actor speaking was half in darkness. Teething problems abounded: from fake moustaches fa lling off to the Safety Curtain rising ten minutes into the second half; but these will, one assumes, not be repeated.

It is an understatement to say that rape is difficult to stage but Kavanagh and Murez made it difficult to watch for the wrong reasons. Melchior raped Wengla in a sort of perverted version of musical chairs: when the music stopped they froze while another scene played out on the opposite side of the stage. Then the music began again and the whole charade repeated itself.

The end of the play is ridiculous for a modern audience – but no more ridiculous than the opening of Hamlet or the banquet in Macbeth, which continue to attract directors and indeed audiences.  The play is difficult but it could have been dealt with much better. Kavanagh and Murez aim for "a more expressionist interpretation," forgetting that what the audience want is a good piece of theatre.

Lizzie Davis