‘Fatal Attraction’ is tipped
to be the most gripping stage play of the year. Based on the original and
iconic Paramount Pictures Corporation movie it follows the story of happily
married attorney Dan Gallagher, who meets charming editor Alex Forrest and
entices us to explore the question; what happens when desire becomes deadly?
Set in New York, it is an iconic piece of entertainment transported from the
screen to stage featuring a cast of household names as it tours the country.
The 1987 film starred Michael
Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer in the lead roles, and premiered in the UK
in January 1988 following a box office smash in America. The screenplay was
originally adapted for the stage and showcased in the West End in 2014, by
original writer James Dearden, and is now revived and playing to packed houses
up and down the country.
'Fatal Attraction' remains one
of the most famous erotic thrillers of its era, spawning new (and mostly
derogatory) language about female rage and psychosis. The story follows family
man Dan Gallagher (Oliver Farnworth), who has an affair with seemingly unhinged
Alex Forrest (Kym Marsh). Not satisfied with a one-night stand, Alex quickly
becomes obsessed with Gallagher and intent on destroying his life beyond
recognition. In an ending which was rewritten to please studio bosses we see
Forrest depicted as a complete psycho on the hunt for revenge at any cost; a
horrifying sequence of events which leaves audiences with more questions than
answers. This stage play, which was originally penned by Dearden and released
in the London West End in 2014 works to rectify some of the original narrative,
showing Forrest to be a woman with considerable mental health concerns,
something which Glenn Close has spoken about on numerous occasions. During an
interview with CBS in 2013, Close commented that given the chance she would
have rethought her portrayal of Alex Forrest using it to raise awareness of the
issues concerning mental health. Close said ‘the astounding thing was that in
my research for Fatal Attraction, I talked with two psychiatrists. Never did a
mental disorder come up. That, of course, would be the first thing I would
think of now.’ Dearden’s new play aims to address initial concerns and gives
Forrest’s mental health concerns more plausibility. The plot has been
rewritten, giving the title characters more complexity and making the ending
more in line with what he had originally anticipated for the film.
Now, I was expecting a lot
from this production considering the film garnered six Oscar nominations, made
$320 million worldwide - making it one of America’s highest grossing box
offices releases of the year, and is the reason why ‘bunny boiler’ is now featured
in the Oxford English dictionary (!), yet the stage play just
didn’t deliver. The promo material claims it
will be ‘the most provocative and gripping stage play of the year’, but I was
left feeling underwhelmed having watched this new stage production. The film
features an intensity between the actors which simply was not portrayed on the
stage last night, and whilst there was plenty of action, it felt too ‘staged’ and
lacked heat, passion, and desire. The original, shocking plot twists, including
the famous ‘bunny boiling’ scene seemed comical, and the ending lacked emotion.
It is difficult to identify where this production has fallen short, especially
as the staging and modernisation has been carefully considered.
Whilst the references to the 1980s remain, director Loveday Ingram chose to modernise the material and
brought it up to date with the simple but effective use of modern-day
technology. We see projections of video calls and a reliance on technology to
really drive forward the idea of stalking through social media intrusion. The
staging is cleverly designed by Morgan Large, featuring simple white panels
upon which various locations are projected. They are also used to excellent
effect to share the video calls, project atmosphere and emotion, and to allow
for some split staging moments. A truly fantastic set used effectively
throughout.
Oliver Farnworth is stepping
into the male title role of Dan Gallagher and has given him a more masculine
edge. He is your typical ‘ball busting’ American who appears to always get what
he wants. For me, this representation left him with nowhere to go, and the
delivery always felt ‘on top note’. It lacked pathos and emotion.
The strongest performance was
undoubtedly Kym Marsh. Her performance was believable throughout, from the
sultry and seductive temptress in the opening scenes, to the broken, neglected
mother to be in the final scenes. Her characterisation was excellent, and her
American accent was by far the best. Marsh works hard throughout to deliver a
credible performance, ensuring that the role doesn’t simply become a caricature
of the film version. She ensures that the sensitive nature of mental health
conditions is acknowledged but not damaged. Marsh drives the production with a
polished performance.
Gallagher’s wife is played by
Susie Amy. For me, this performance was the weakest link. I am undecided as to
whether Amy has been let down by a poor script, poor direction or maybe even
wrongly interpreted herself, as the character is being portrayed in a way that
comes across as though she is constantly irritated by her husband, his
workload, indecision regarding their move to the country, indifference to their
daughter and life in general. With this in mind, and all things considered it’s
not too difficult to appreciate the predicament Gallagher found himself in on
that fatal night…
So, is it ‘the most
gripping stage play of the year’? I sincerely hope not. Despite some strong
performances and an excellent design, this production is lacking, and fatally
unattractive.
Reviewer - Jen O’Beirne
on - 22.2.22
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