Synopsis Patrick Marber s new version of Moličre s 17th century classic is set in 21st century London. Moličre s farcical, tragic, anarchic original of 1665 is relocated to modern day Soho: swank, new hotels and festering, old clip joints, crackheads in alleys and cokeheads in clubs. The destitute, the delirious, the broken and the brazen, the hustlers and hoorays, the media movers and merciless whores - all packed in to one seething square mile. Don Juan - the infamous amoral hedonist in a society entranced by sensation.
When Michael Grandage directed this Moličre version of the great amoral sexual swordsman legend (in a translation by Simon Nye) five years ago at the Sheffield Crucible, he put up a board in the foyer for audience members to add their thoughts.
One girl wrote that she didn’t mind going to Hell as long as Tom Hollander (who played the Don) was there. That sums up the wicked attraction of a seducer written by Moličre as a complete bastard and here re-written by Patrick Marber as something even worse: a Soho lounge lizard and sociopath in a twilit world of media deals, hospital visits and lost purposes.
For the greatest talent exhibited by the impressively rangy and non-committal Rhys Ifans as the eponymous DJ is one for not caring a jot for his responsibility towards other people. Tall, blond and nasty, he beds, weds, and moves on just the same. He plays the role like a piano exercise: dedicated, focussed, and self-obsessed.
He’s oblivious to the disapproval of his sidekick, Sganarelle – here re-cast as Stan, touchingly played by Stephen Wight – the submission of friends and mistresses and even the intervention of his father, beautifully played by David Ryall as a reasonable clubman. By the time the short, sharp 90 minutes are over, you feel you have supped deep in the well of human frailty.
Grandage’s production, designed by Christopher Oram and lit by Neil Austin, conforms to the current Donmar aesthetic of sculpted, super-charged scenes against a black wall background, placing the actors in a sort of enhanced silhouette that sharpens the play to an extraordinary degree. You really feel here that you’re watching some ghastly allegory of life down the road in a private members’ club with swanky Louis Quatorze furniture.
Ifans is tremendous at swaggering through this hinterland, giving a far more focussed and disciplined performance, in fact, than he often serves up on screen. He’s surrounded by some clever, pertinent performances from Laura Pyper as Elvira, Richard Flood as a Soho denizen, and Seroca Davies and Jessica Brooks as abused accomplices in DJ’s rakish progress.
The overall effect, in Marber’s acidulous translation, is a portrait of a loathsome yet compelling bad boy in a society that applauds his decadence, just as the Restoration comedies of Congreve and Etherege lined up behind their bad boys. Ifans plays all this with a swish and a velveteen anarchy that hits exactly the right note of blasé, self-indulgent terror and disgust.
Moličre’s play was first performed in 1665 but was lost to the repertoire for centuries. Now, it seems like a necessary parable of the age, and Marber’s version, fully plugged in to the world inhabited by his showbiz pals, is both a wonderful report from the front line and a red alert warning. This is a fantastic example of how you reinstate, and reassert, a modern classic, just as Marber did with Strindberg’s Miss Julie a few seasons back at the Donmar.
Superbly adapted and brilliantly scripted by Patrick Marber, this version of Moliere's classic is an adrenaline-filled rush but does not bear too much examination. It is inconceivable that this Jaggeresque Don Juan would suffer two years of pursuit of Elvira's virginity, even if she is as pretty as the lovely Laura Pyper. 90 minutes is also more than enough time spent in the company of such an unapologetic hedonist without a single redeeming feature. Despite those reservations this is an hilarious production with the usual superb direction from Michael Grandage and a top-notch ensemble, so it's a mystery why Rhys Evans looked so miserable during the curtain call. - 194.176.105.41)
02 Feb 07
Brilliant and witty take on Moliere's original. Rhys Ifans is triumphant as Don Juan and is well supported by the other cast members who, contrary to one reviewer here, do get a chance to shine - in particular Stephen Wight as Stan. For the record David Ryall does the nervous, bumbling character bit very well indeed and it's not through nerves! Another hit for Michael Grandage whose stewardship of the Donmar is surely set to equal at least that of Sam Mendes'. A West-End transfer and Broadway must beckon. - 172.206.143.70)
21 Jan 07
Patrick Marber's savagely funny modern take on the classic tale works superbly well for the most part (although the pedalling statue provoked a few inappropriate titters). Played at high energy and breakneck speed, Michael Grandage's raucously elegant staging is magnificently led by Rhys Ifans while Stephen Wight as his downtrodden sidekick looks like a new star. Well worth seeing. - 89.145.233.212)
08 Jan 07
The strength of Patrick Marber's adaptation is how it brings out the moral debate whilst heightening the comedy. It's a great staging with some fine performances, and zips along at a terrific pace without losing any depth. Whilst Rhys Ifans deserves the plaudits for his DJ, lets not forget a terrific sidekick Stan from Stephen Wight, without whom Ifans performance would fall flat. Yet another great night at The Donmar. - 86.138.26.181)
02 Jan 07
As I drerily sat in a soho pub for another afternoon, I stared into my glass of shiraz and thought, today I shall do something, but what? That is when I saw a leaflet for this show. I smiled and felt, that sounds fdamiliar and so I popped along, and what a delight! I see that your user reviews give two stars over all, can I say I am suprised? I think I was the only person in the theatre under eighty five and before the curtaiun rose all I could hear were the warblings of, well the set doesnt look like the eighteenth century! This is modern theatre at it's best. A razor sharp adaptation of an acient, crumbling piece. Marber's writing reeks of sharp, satirical wit that kept me chortling for the duration of the piece. Of course the man that steals everything on stage if Mr Ifans. You wouldnt instantly cast him as Mr Juan. Tall, gangly, looks like he could do with a good meal and whats more Welsh! However this is an actor of true mesmeric power. He managed to convince me purely from his charm alone that he was the most attractive man of the moment, one cannot keep one's eyes off the man. A considerable triumph, ignore the farting bores screaming, it's simply not the original whilst they stuff their face with over priced steak and book yourself a ticket! - 80.225.168.189)
31 Dec 06
Tom Hollander was fine. - 70.129.13.121)
23 Dec 06
It dosent really matter as all Donmar shows are sold out these days even before the first preview,but this rewaorking of Moliere to modern day London is a dud and mainly due to the bizarre over acting of its main lead DJ played by the wrinkly and insomniac looking Rhys Ifans,the supporting cast try but Ifans wont let them have an inch as I found him such a selfish actor.
And another poor value for money offering from the Donmar at 1 hour 25 min one act play that even at that short length sees many asleep and others me included clock watching!
Its nothing new either,the sex,the bad language and crudity,but still a damp squib of a play thats fails to shock on any level. - 195.93.21.73)
16 Dec 06
'After Moliere'? - A VERY LONG WAY AFTER. We expect more from MARBER THAN A DUSTED OFF OLD PLOT WITH A COLLECTION OF STORED JOKES WAITING FOR OUTLETS. AN OUTSTANDING COMIC-TRAGIC PERFORMANCE BY O'TOOLE-ISH RHYS EVANS - WITH THE FUNNIEST FELLATIO SKETCH SINCE O'CALCUTTA - FIRM SUPPORT BY THE LEPORELLO OF STEPHEN WIGHT, AND APART FROM THE SEX-SLUT OF SEROCA DAVIS, THE MUCH PUT-UPON ABDUL SALIS,AND DAVID RYALL'S BEWILDERED FATHER, NERVOUS SUPPORT CHARACTERS AT THE PREVIEW NOT HELPED BY SHALLOW WRITING. SOHO UNRECOGNISABLE, DON'S DEATH MIS-INTERPRETED AND BANAL. ONE GOOD VISUAL UPDATE JOKE WITH A RICKSHAW ANSWERING THE CALL FOR A TAXI. A FEW SHARP WITTICISMS DO NOT COMPENSATE FOR A WAYWARD ADAPTATION. LITTLE WONDER PM LOOKED DESPONDENT EARWIGGING IN THE BAR AFTER THE SHOW. ( BY THE WAY WHY DONT MORE THEATRES KEEP THE BAR OPEN FOR MINGLING AND CHATTING AND MAKING MONEY ?). - 86.142.180.255)
Re-opened in 1992. Seats 254. 1999 - Ambassador Theatre Group takes over from the Associated Capital Theatres as the landlord of the Donmar Warehouse. 2002 - Michael Grandage succeeds Sam Mendes as Artistic Director of the Donmar. Nick Frankfort succeeds Caro Newling as Executive Producer.
Whatsonstage.com - Discount London theatre tickets, theatre news and reviews, Theatre videos, Theatre discussion, National Theatre Listings. Covering London's West End, all of Theatreland and all UK theatre. The best
for London Theatre Ticket Discounts.
