BWW Reviews: VANITY FAIR Lampoons a Society Long Gone

Reviewed Thursday 5th September 2013

William Makepeace Thackeray subtitled his mid eighteenth century story, Vanity Fair, "a novel without a hero", as every one of his characters has flaws, some more than others, which he makes clear in his tale. This adaptation for the stage is by Irish writer and director, Declan Donnellan, co-founder, with Nick Ormerod of Cheek by Jowl Theatre Company. He has adapted a number of literary works over the years.

This is not, by any means, a full dramatisation, more an extraction of sections of the book, as though we are being read aloud a Reader's Digest version. It feels like a radio play, rather than a stage play. It shares the narrator's job between all seven of the performers, who then jump in and out for short sections, in character, as thirty years is condensed into a couple of hours.

We follow the lives of two supposed friends, Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley, starting on the day that they graduate from Miss Pinkerton's Academy for Young Ladies. At this stage we discover that they have very different circumstances ahead of them, Amelia returning to the arms of her wealthy parents in Russell Square, and Becky becoming a governess. Becky stays briefly with Amelia and meets her betrothed, Captain George Osborne, and her brother, Joseph Sedley. Becky sets her cap at Joseph, but nothing develops and she leaves for her job.

Brian Knott has given his cast plenty of physical comedy and lots of action that, along with a whole range of great costuming, and some clever cross-dressing, ensures that this does not become a static reading of the script, which could be a strong risk in the hands of a less experienced director.

Belinda Knott and Abi Devries play Becky and Amelia, respectively, Knott being the only member of the cast who only plays one role as Becky is in every scene. Knott is a crafty and conniving Becky, filling her character with energy and charm, while Devries gives us a sweet, naïve, and somewhat dim young lady, providing a good contrast and enabling some clever interactions between the two.

All of the others take on a range of characters with Lindy LeCornu once again bringing her experience to bear in such diverse roles as the unpleasant Miss Pinkerton, Mrs. O'Dowd, and Lady Steyne. Alex King, Keith Manson, Mason Willis, and James Whitrow cover a great many roles between them. King's main role is as Rawden Crawley, who Becky marries, but his hilarious Miss Glorvino O'Dowd will probably stay with you longer. Manson is Joseph Sedley, and he is suitably buffoonish in the role, equally convincing as the horrible Sir Pitt Crawley. Willis is convincing with his interpretation of a brash, confident George Osborne, Amelia's gambling, womanising husband, as well as his own son, Georgy. Whitrow plays the ever constant William Dobbin, in love with Amelia, but saying nothing, caring for her from afar and only offering marriage long after George is killed at the Battle of Waterloo. He gives the character a sympathetic reading, endearing Dobbin to the audience.

There is plenty of fun to be had in this production, with performances that overcome the inherent awkwardness of the script itself. It is an audience pleaser.

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