There was something powerful below the surface of this one, showing through in flashes; I'd have expected no less from Lorca, and especially having read the first half or so of the text earlier in the year (then I got distracted), and the transposition to rural WA worked. And the production was lively as well as dark, with a few gut punches (Bernadette refusing to open the door to Rosie, Angela dropping to the floor in fear as her mother advances on her) along the way to the inevitable tragedy - I've seen enough of this playwright now to expect blood (literal/figurative) and emotional ruin.
So I don't know why I wasn't more enthused about the play - it was strong across the board (including the performances, which pretty much nailed the difficult line between stylised and naturalistic that was required), it engaged me on a lot of levels ... maybe my hopes and expectations were just too high. Perhaps, too, I would have liked more texture, for it to go on longer and more suffocatingly, which might be a criticism that asks this production to be something it isn't trying to be, but - trying to put my finger on it - the closest I can get to explaining my reservations is that, in patches, it was just a touch thin, especially in the characterisation. Without needing to have it all explained, I wanted to know more about them.
(w/ Cass, Meribah and Stuart)
So I don't know why I wasn't more enthused about the play - it was strong across the board (including the performances, which pretty much nailed the difficult line between stylised and naturalistic that was required), it engaged me on a lot of levels ... maybe my hopes and expectations were just too high. Perhaps, too, I would have liked more texture, for it to go on longer and more suffocatingly, which might be a criticism that asks this production to be something it isn't trying to be, but - trying to put my finger on it - the closest I can get to explaining my reservations is that, in patches, it was just a touch thin, especially in the characterisation. Without needing to have it all explained, I wanted to know more about them.
(w/ Cass, Meribah and Stuart)
