Review: VINCENT IN BRIXTON, Starring Niamh Cusack, Orange Tree Theatre

Last seen in London at the National Theatre nearly 25 years ago, Nicholas Wright's thoughtful and thought-provoking play, Vincent In Brixton, now has a well-deserved revival at the Orange Tree in a beautifully performed and multi-layered production, showcasing some formidable acting talent, both old and new.

The world knows Vincent van Gogh through sunflowers, acts of self-harm and even that well-known song by Don McClean. Yet little is known about his early life when he lodged with a widowed teacher, Mrs Loyer, and her daughter Eugenie in Brixton, south London while working for a Dutch art dealer in Covent Garden.

At this point, he had little experience of or interest in painting himself. An innocent and naive young man, we know that he may have harboured unrequited feelings, possibly for Eugenie, but Wright takes us on an exploration of the unexpected senario of the growing relationship between Vincent and Ursula, set in a house hiding many other secrets. They bond over literature and the French language, before more complicated emotions rise to the surface.

This is a tight cast of five, with Niamh Cusack in magnificent form as Mrs Loyer, a woman pushing through life, supporting her daughter and herself through teaching and renting out rooms, despite her obvious bouts of depression. Cusack, not losing her Irish accent completely, gives an incredibly expressive and emotional performance. We learn her husband died 15 years ago, but she continues to wear black, allowing herself a colourful floral dress as she feels some happiness through Vincent, then reverting to black again when he leaves without a word. Cusack reflects these changes through every word and movement; it is hugely poignant.

The four other cast members are either at the very start of their careers or make their professional debuts. Not that you would ever know. Jeroen Frank Kales makes a remarkable impression as Vincent; awkward and as direct as only the Dutch can be, Kales also shows a young man prone to deep emotion and self-doubt. He falls for Eugenie in a moment, but his more gradually growing feelings for Ursula are deep and sincere. It's a clever and incredibly nuanced performance.

Kales shows huge empathy for the widow's sadness, perhaps also recognising the melancholy within himself. But Wright's writing deftly avoids cliché here, with Kales identifying the blaze of feelings within the character without resorting to anything suggesting the inevitability of his fate. The optimism, hope and surges of excitement of the first act contrast greatly with the more uneasy, apprehensive mood of the second half, that moves into hopelessness.

Ayesha Ostler is cheerful, confident and measured as Eugenie. She is paired nicely with Rawaed Adse as the amiable other lodger Sam, a house painter and aspiring artist, who hints at the potential artistic talent he sees in Vincent. Amber Van der Brugge is wonderfully uptight as Vincent’s austere sister, Anna, who wields a floor mop like a weapon and has a tongue as sharp as a sword.

The production is directed astutely by the OT’s Carne Associate Director Georgia Green, who gets the pacing just right from her cast; there is much domestic bustling around the kitchen, peeling sprouts and making tea, but there are also sufficiently quiet pauses to really appreciate the growing feelings between Vincent and Ursula, as well as the powerful moments of her abject sadness and despair.

Charlotte Henery's set design is intricate and incredibly well thought-out. Washing hangs from corners of the balcony, a working range boils water and toasts bread, a corner sink and dresser serve to create a highly realistic depiction of a Victorian kitchen. There is even soot on the painted paneling high up above the range. Lucía Sánchez Roldán's lighting is simply beautiful, often creating the look of a painting itself; with huge attention to areas of light and shade. We are transported from one simple gaslight, to twilight and to daytime seamlessly. 

Vincent In Brixton really transports the audience to another world, which tantilises you with what might have been, not just for van Gogh himself, but for all who came into contact with him.

Read our interview with actor Jeroen Frank Kales on making his stage bebut as Vincent van Gogh in the show here.

For more details about the Orange Tree's development project, click here.

Vincent in Brixton is at the Orange Tree Theatre until 18 April