Review – Waves
Venue: The Lowry
Date reviewed: 24th September, 2008
Katie Mitchell‘s Waves is a real curate’s egg; as on one hand it is incredibly innovative and beautiful to watch, leaving you open-mouthed at its ingenuity.
But, on the other; this unique director tries to achieve so much in such a short space of time, that the mixture of sound effects, cinematic elements, actors doubling as stage hands and film crew, does make you long for moments of stillness, in order to feel the sadness and passion of Virginia Woolf’s earthy text.
You are still left, though with a production that mesmerises more often than it infuriates. Purists, beware as many will argue that providing the audience with close ups, the crunching of gravel, the sound of falling leaves, however evocative, stops the audience from using their imagination.
After all, Woolf is such a masterful storyteller that, her words alone can paint the most stunning picture in your mind.
The precision of the cast carries the piece, and is reminscent of watching a bunch of highly trained athletes, as they pass the baton of the narrative, creating one dazzling moment after another. The marvellous mise en scene constantly evokes the frustration of married Rhoda (the wonderful Anastasia Hille), as she contemplates suicide.
But other elements such as close ups of homosexual day-dreamer, Neville (Paul Ready) eating a banana seem ill advised, as they detract from the text, as they are too overdone and obvious. These cinematic codes are much more effective when they are loosely implied, ala film noir. But, here the phalic meanings become laughable making the character’s sense of longing wholly redundant.
Once the second act commences, you will find yourself surrendering to Mitchell’s dream-like vision. I loved the rain-soaked imagery and feeling of claustrohopia captured on a tube ride. This is where the play comes into its own, as it is filmed live, which leaves you scratching your head at the terrific technical expertise of the gifted actors involved.
For some, this is what will undo their enjoyment of Waves, as it sometimes feels so technical, that the heart of the piece does, at times, get lost in the mix.
But for a theatre and a film buff, it offers you the juxtaposition of two art forms and even though its lofty ambitions are not always met, this still remains the finest exploration of Woolf’s work since David Hare‘s stunning film The Hours.
-Glenn Meads