‘The Girl on the Train’ is well known as a popular novel that was made into a successful movie but this theatrical adaptation was very much a stand-alone piece, using a multi-media format as much to bring over the emotions of the story as setting various scenes, providing a powerful dramatic experience.
This is a modern story dealing with relationship complications, addiction struggles and other life pressures but beneath this can be seen some inspirations from various classic thrillers genres, including Agatha Christie. What makes the backdrop slightly unusual is that the central character trying to solve the mystery is no Miss Marple but a dis-functional alcoholic and the detective assigned to the case approaches his work more like a 9-to-5 civil servant than a committed sleuth.
There are so many relationship complications amongst the main characters that it was perhaps fitting in this stage production that many of the cast were best known for acting in TV soap operas but this was intelligent, realistic drama and the cast stepped up to the mark, with solid performances all round. Louise Lytton as the main protagonist Rachel Watson gave a moving portrayal of a woman struggling with drinking problems and personal issues such as low self-esteem.
Natalie Dunne as Megan Hipwell was well cast as an attractive blonde with a habit of jumping from her current relationship without thinking about the consequences. There was a kind of refreshing normality to Paul McEwan’s portrayal of D.I Gaskill, for whom policework was just a job rather than a way of life. Similarly, Jason Merrells played the male lead Tom Watson with a realistic sense of ordinariness, masking inner conflicts whilst Zena Carswell as his wife Anna Watson appeared on the surface contented and stable. Samuel Collings as Scott Hipwell gave some balance, playing a more overtly emotional character (although at times he had a bit to be emotional about!).
This was a well-acted interpretation of a good, tense thriller but what really set this production apart was the staging, using multi-media effects in a number of interesting and dynamic ways. This was no Amanda Whittingham-style production with various back images or videos used simply to donate places. The effects of movement were used to powerfully convey emotions and the drama. The vertical image of rain running down a back projection accentuated Rachel Watson’s dismal life in an unkempt flat, as if everything was going downhill in contrast to the horizontal flashes of dazzling colours, denoting both the movement of being on a train and the clashing of the characters’ lives and emotions. All of this was extenuated with powerful and often disturbing sound effects, to the credit of sound designer Elizabeth Purnell. Characters stepped in and out of multiple backscreens, effectively creating flashbacks and Loveday Ingram’s tight direction made effective use of partial blackouts during acting so that a lot of the shifting on stage furniture went virtually unnoticed, creating virtually seamless shifts of scene. Suffice to say, this production needs to be seen to fully experience the clever dramatic use of various technical innovations.
The dramatic climax relied heavily of the use of dry ice but it worked in tandem with powerful music and sound effects to bring the story to a satisfying conclusion. This was a strong story told with superbly innovative stagecraft and a convincing acting. An excellent night out at the theatre, giving both solid entertainment and food for thought!
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
On - 13th May 2025
No comments:
Post a Comment