Presented by the graduating performing arts class of Weston-Super-Mare's University Centre, this was a free adaptation of Shirley Jackson's final and most famous novel, "We Have Always Lived In The Castle". I have never read the novel and knew nothing about the story, and after having watched this 50 minute piece this afternoon, was not much the wiser sadly.
The cast was a large one for a fringe production, using 8 actors / actresses in all, and the set and direction required a larger space than the limitations of the King's Arms theatre would allow. Two scruffy trestle tables were used as both a large dining table and church altar, whilst cheap looking chairs were used as everything else. However, an even bigger faux pas was seeing too large open suitcases at the rear of the stage, from which various props and cloths were brought out for each set change in full view of the audience.
If I am to understand correctly, the novel is set in 1962 in America, and in this production - admittedly it is a free adaptation - we did not seem to be either in the correct era or the correct country. For those like me, who had no prior knowledge of the story or its themes, this was a difficult and actually quite boring watch, with the company requiring perhaps too much on the part of the audience in these terms. It did not help as these 8 people played more than one character too, and so it was difficult to know who was who.
One actress played the role of Merricat, who, according to the script is "almost of age". This would make her perhaps 17, and yet, she was dressed as a young girl in the show, and was treated like and acted like a petulant 6 year old throughout. Yet, she has a sister, Charlotte, who one assumes is older, as she has or had a boyfriend (?) from the village.
The story took a long while to get going, and the scenes were short and the changes between them inexorably long. The script would suit TV much better in this regard as each scene did not last more than a couple of minutes. There was a distinct lack of pace and energy this afternoon, and the company failed to build any tension sadly. I have to admit to not understanding the opening and closing scenes of the play at all, and the use of a puppet for the cat, cutesy as it was, added nothing to the play.
A curious but very pedestrian performance which left me with more questions than answers by the end of the play.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 2.7.23
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