Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre is well known for providing the city with a Musical production over the Christmas period, and indeed over the years they have shone with many fabulous and memorable productions. This year it was much less of a Musical, and more a play with songs. In Emma Rice's theatrical adaptation of Noel Coward's famous film, 'Brief Encounter', the film had been given a lift with the injection of comedy, and, unlike previous productions of this adaptation, the company had chosen to use music and songs entirely from the Noel Coward oeuvre. The former taking away from Coward's intent, whilst the latter made it much closer to being entirely his work.
For those who do not remember or are too young to know, 'Brief Encounter' follows the whirlwind romance and love affair of two strangers who meet, quite by chance, on a railway platform cafe. Laura, played with statuesque resilience by Hannah Azuonye, has a small piece of grit in her eye from a passing train, and so she is helped by Alec, a GP, played with unswerving and singleminded passion by Baker Mukasa. The play follows them as they become more and more enveloped in each other with each regular Thursday meeting at the same railway cafe. In between, they return to their more mundane lives with spouses and children and responsibilities. Their passion eventually takes hold and is noticed by others. This being the respectable society of the post war, and not today's live-and-let-live attitude, then they must be more circumspect. However, they eventually realise that they must separate and a more sombre and sober, but surprisingly unsatisfying end of their relationship does happen.
In the middle of all of this we see the developing and blossoming romance and love of two other unlikely couples. The cafe owner, given a lovely Welsh lilt and glint in the eye by Christina Modestou, finds happiness from the Station Master, who in this production is not as old and world-weary as usual, and as portrayed by Richard Glaves there is both strength and humanity in his role. Their antics are portrayed a little at times, like A Carry On film, but never does it become over-the-top, and both are experienced and sensitive performers creating a lovely chemistry between them. Finally, the young love, adolescent ineptitudes and nervousness aplenty as a young station worker, Stanley (Georgia Frost) courts the cafe waitress played with stilted naivety and reserve by Ida Regan. We enjoy waching their confidence grow and Regan especially makes a lovely transformation as she becomes increasingly more confident throughout. The only other actor in the play is Matthew Allen who works well with the little the script gives him.
The first act is rather slow and where the dialogue should sparkle, it doesn't, and where there should be high comedy, we are not really laughing, but we do not lose interest though and despite the direction (Sarah Frankcom) being something of a mix of styles - she could not really decide whether the production was a Musical, a comedy or a drama, as all three were vying for prominence here - we still enjoyed the build-up of tensions and emotions which burst forth and blossomed into a much swifter and more enjoyable second act.
The singing was generally good, with Regan and Modestou particularly impressing with their vocal skills, whilst we only truly got to see any dancing in one showstopping sequence during the middle of the second act, and then again, a fully choreographed curtain call. Live music was performed on stage by a four-piece jazz band under the deft direction of Matthew Malone, whose tiny interactions with the cast were subtle but skilled.
Sightlines were something of an issue sadly. The rear stalls cannot see parts of the set which hang down from the rafters, whilst people seated in the two galleries directly above the cafe or piano will not be able to see any of the action that takes place in these areas.
An interesting but not completely satisfying production.
I have to agree that it was far from the standard I would expect from the royal exchange. The atmosphere , staging , acting and in some instances the singing were distinctly underwhelming. The first half lacked energy with woeful inactivity for periods. The pouring of endless cups of tea is not entertaining. I took family members as a treat and we all found it bewilderingly bad. This is the most unfulfilling piece of theatre I have ever seen at the Royal Exchange… and at Christmas time too. So very disappointed
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