Review - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
September 20, 2008
September 17 2008
This adaptation by Jay Presson Allen originally opened on Broadway in 1968.
The play opens with a ballerina dancing in silhouette behind a gauze screen that captures the spirit of Miss Brodie’s love of the arts. The screen lifts to reveal three women, one wearing a nun’s habit, who we will see from time to time throughout the play in a series of “flash forwards”.
The small stage was flanked with huge, almost overpowering dark grey columns that represented both the grandeur of the Edinburgh art gallery and, cleverly, the blackboards of the classroom, being covered in chalk writing and chalk representations of classical art. A simple but impressive set.
The year is 1931. Miss Brodie and her class of 10 year olds at the Marcia Blaine School for girls listening in awe at stories of her romantic liaisons and holidays in exotic places and Italy in particular. Anna Francolini beautifully captures the vibrant and witty personality of Jean Brody, a rather unconventional teacher in an otherwise traditional school. Her character convinces as a person who would be able to manipulate the minds of the impressionable girls in her care to her increasingly dangerous ideals. She showed in a heated scene with Teddy Lloyd, her married lover played by Hywell Simons, that she was also capable of showing extreme anger.
Of the girls in her class, Miss Brodie had a special set of four ( the four seemed to be composites of the original six in the book). These girls, “The Brodie set” , she called ” The Crème de la Crème” and for each one she had a plan.
The gymslip - clad girls were all convincing both as giggling ten year olds and later as mature and very individual 16 year olds. I particularly enjoyed Jodie Taibi’s cool performance as Sandy and Katie Foster-Barnes as the bright and lively Monica but I wondered who decided to give Mary a stammer which was unnecessary and unconvincing.
Full marks too for Madrigalis from Northampton School for girls, who made up the classroom numbers and performed the music and dance items so well.
I liked Sarah Moyle’s portrayal of Miss Mackay, the rather staid headmistress whose concern about Miss Brodie`s teaching methods led her to probe the pupils for any information that might lead to her dismissal including her affair with the music teacher Gordon Lowther played by John Killoran . The confrontational scene between the two women emphasised the huge differences between them - Miss Brodie winning the argument with confidence. One of the best scenes of the play.
The sudden decision of Gordon Lowther to marry the science mistress brought about the beginning of the end of Miss Brodie’s prime and finally she is betrayed by Sandy for her Fascist sympathies. The power of the Fascist movement is effectively shown in scratchy black and white film on to the back stage.
A very engaging production which runs until Saturday 4th October.
Review by Ros Walden
Photograph by Toby Farrow
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there i am in that picture on the bottom right!
this production has been the experience of my life, so far.
I am loving every minute being on that stage!
I am lucky to have recieved a speaking line:
“Leonardo DiVinci, Miss Brodie!” (in the best Scottish accent i can do)
might i say that Anna playing Brodie is an inspirational actress and such a funny woman.