Metamorphosis

Finally the family realise they have no option but to deal with the problem, as the monster has overtaken Gregor they only way out for the beast is death.

Bjorn Thors as Gregor is spellbinding to watch as he jumps and flies across the set. He hangs and climbs at impossible angles and from his first appearance (through the mattress of his bed) until the lights fade on him hanging upside-down motionless on the front of the stage (where he has been for some considerable time) you cannot take your eyes off him. His degeneration from human to insect is tragic to watch and you remain transfixed throughout.

When his Mother (Elva Osk Olafsdottir), sister and Father enter his bedroom and Gregor is hanging in the corner of the room, you brain has difficulty working out the perspective.

 But as the family leave him food which bizarrely they just place on the floor (which is the vertical back wall of the set)it just hangs there. Likewise when they strip his room all the objects are easily removed, where moments before they appeared so solid, as Gregor had been using them to swing on.

I doubt we will see such a fresh and imaginatively staged piece of theatre again this year and the two stars of the show namely, the set (and designer Jonasson) and Thors for his portrayal of Gregor  will live on in my memory for a long time.

Franz Kafka’s  Metamorphosis  has been adapted and directed for the stage by David Farr and Gisli Om Gardarsson and together they present a riveting 90 minute piece of theatre.

Designer Borkur Jonsson uses a split level set which on first glance looks like a rundown lived in family home, until you notice the bedroom floor is actually facing you. The bed is hanging on the back wall, which is acting as the floor, so the chair, plant, briefcase and lamp all appear to defy gravity and look as if they are suspended in mid-air.

We are first introduced to the family as they have breakfast, but not a word is spoken until the Father (Tom Mannion) realises  his son Gregor, his son, shoes are still by the door, when in fact he should have left for work hours before.

It is left to the daughter Grete (Unnur Osp Stefansdottir) to try and break in to her brothers bedroom and find the terrible truth. This turns out to be that he has turned from a human in to a beetle like creature. While the son can still hear his family, they can only hear a high pitched scream from him, no matter how quietly he tries to talk to them they have to cover their ears when he tries to speak.

As her brother Gregors (Bjorn Thors) condition deteriorates the family try and live as normal a life as possible by inviting him to the dining table, but it ends in disaster.

Finally the family realise they have no option but to deal with the problem, as the monster has overtaken Gregor they only way out for the beast is death.

Bjorn Thors as Gregor is spellbinding to watch as he jumps and flies across the set. He hangs and climbs at impossible angles and from his first appearance (through the mattress of his bed) until the lights fade on him hanging upside-down motionless on the front of the stage (where he has been for some considerable time) you cannot take your eyes off him. His degeneration from human to insect is tragic to watch and you remain transfixed throughout.

When his Mother (Elva Osk Olafsdottir), sister and Father enter his bedroom and Gregor is hanging in the corner of the room, you brain has difficulty working out the perspective.

 But as the family leave him food which bizarrely they just place on the floor (which is the vertical back wall of the set)it just hangs there. Likewise when they strip his room all the objects are easily removed, where moments before they appeared so solid, as Gregor had been using them to swing on.

I doubt we will see such a fresh and imaginatively staged piece of theatre again this year and the two stars of the show namely, the set (and designer Jonasson) and Thors for his portrayal of Gregor  will live on in my memory for a long time.

Franz Kafka’s  Metamorphosis  has been adapted and directed for the stage by David Farr and Gisli Om Gardarsson and together they present a riveting 90 minute piece of theatre.

Designer Borkur Jonsson uses a split level set which on first glance looks like a rundown lived in family home, until you notice the bedroom floor is actually facing you. The bed is hanging on the back wall, which is acting as the floor, so the chair, plant, briefcase and lamp all appear to defy gravity and look as if they are suspended in mid-air.

We are first introduced to the family as they have breakfast, but not a word is spoken until the Father (Tom Mannion) realises  his son Gregor, his son, shoes are still by the door, when in fact he should have left for work hours before.

It is left to the daughter Grete (Unnur Osp Stefansdottir) to try and break in to her brothers bedroom and find the terrible truth. This turns out to be that he has turned from a human in to a beetle like creature. While the son can still hear his family, they can only hear a high pitched scream from him, no matter how quietly he tries to talk to them they have to cover their ears when he tries to speak.

As her brother Gregors (Bjorn Thors) condition deteriorates the family try and live as normal a life as possible by inviting him to the dining table, but it ends in disaster.

Finally the family realise they have no option but to deal with the problem, as the monster has overtaken Gregor they only way out for the beast is death.