Victorian Opera
9 July 2010
Playhouse, The Arts Centre
to July 17
www.ticketmaster.com.au
Review by Josephine Giles
Based on a Henry James short story, The Turn of the Screw is a ghost story with a twist. An impressionable
young governess comes to Bly to look after two children who, it transpires, are
being haunted by two evil ghosts. Or are they? Full of ambiguity, the story gifts
to a director ample opportunity for flights of the imagination. Unfortunately
this production, while chocker-block full of solid performances, remains
earthbound.
Good things first. For this production Victorian Opera has
engaged respected Britten expert Paul Kildea to conduct. Under Kildea’s
sensitive and nuanced direction Orchestra Victoria responds in kind, with extra
fine playing from the woodwind providing an atmospheric diversion from the emptiness
on stage.
On stage, the youthful troupe of singers is, for the most
part, well cast. As the highly strung Governess, Danielle Calder impresses with
accomplished singing and a committed and convincing character. Maxine
Montgomery as Mrs Grose sings with her customary assurance, while Melanie Adams
(Mrs Jessel) is attractive but underpowered.
As the young charges Takshin Fernando (Miles) and Georgina
Darvidis (Flora) are clear and engaging. Full marks should also go to Fernando
for the most convincing miming ever of piano-playing in Act II.
As the Narrator
and the dastardly Peter Quint, James Egglestone is a perfect fit. His clear
tenor is well suited to Britten’s music, and his impeccable diction and easy
physicality add value to the package.
To the not-so-good. The
Turn of the Screw is a sparse piece that is here staged with austerity. An
almost empty stage is occupied by a Victorian style doll’s house, and the odd
piece of furniture which is moved on and off to indicate a change of scene.
Lighting is dim, to underline the action taking place in twilight, coupled with
a black backdrop that sucks the life from the action. Lights in the doll’s
house (spooky!), indicate changing times of day, but are inconsistent with the
number of projected windows on the stage floor. The ghosts first appear in
recesses in the back wall that look like, well, boxes; we know Flora is by a
lake because she tells us while standing near a puddle of blue light, and the
Governess must be walking in the garden because she is wandering around a stage
lit with dappled leaves. I could go on. Suffice to say the direction and design
lack imagination, and misuse the device of minimalism to ultimately convey very
little in the way of atmosphere.
As with practically anything operatic these days, projected
titles are used. In heavily orchestrated pieces sung in English their use can
be justified. But for the lightly orchestrated The Turn of the Screw, in this theatre, and with this calibre of
singers, their presence is an unnecessary distraction. The titles are situated
at either side of the stage and just catch ones peripheral vision, making it
impossible to focus on the singers (who are all perfectly understandable). To
stop going mad, you end up giving up and looking away from the stage to read
the titles and thus lose any immersion in the drama.
For its scale and contemporary subject matter The Turn of the Screw is a good
repertoire choice for the Victorian Opera. The work is a perfect vehicle for
the young singers promoted by the company, but this production, while strong
musically, just misses the dramatic mark. The
Turn of the Screw continues at the Playhouse till July17.Based on a Henry James short story, The Turn of the Screw is a ghost story with a twist. An impressionable
young governess comes to Bly to look after two children who, it transpires, are
being haunted by two evil ghosts. Or are they? Full of ambiguity, the story gifts
to a director ample opportunity for flights of the imagination. Unfortunately
this production, while chocker-block full of solid performances, remains
earthbound.
Good things first. For this production Victorian Opera has
engaged respected Britten expert Paul Kildea to conduct. Under Kildea’s
sensitive and nuanced direction Orchestra Victoria responds in kind, with extra
fine playing from the woodwind providing an atmospheric diversion from the emptiness
on stage.
On stage, the youthful troupe of singers is, for the most
part, well cast. As the highly strung Governess, Danielle Calder impresses with
accomplished singing and a committed and convincing character. Maxine
Montgomery as Mrs Grose sings with her customary assurance, while Melanie Adams
(Mrs Jessel) is attractive but underpowered.
As the young charges Takshin Fernando (Miles) and Georgina
Darvidis (Flora) are clear and engaging. Full marks should also go to Fernando
for the most convincing miming ever of piano-playing in Act II.
As the Narrator
and the dastardly Peter Quint, James Egglestone is a perfect fit. His clear
tenor is well suited to Britten’s music, and his impeccable diction and easy
physicality add value to the package.
To the not-so-good. The
Turn of the Screw is a sparse piece that is here staged with austerity. An
almost empty stage is occupied by a Victorian style doll’s house, and the odd
piece of furniture which is moved on and off to indicate a change of scene.
Lighting is dim, to underline the action taking place in twilight, coupled with
a black backdrop that sucks the life from the action. Lights in the doll’s
house (spooky!), indicate changing times of day, but are inconsistent with the
number of projected windows on the stage floor. The ghosts first appear in
recesses in the back wall that look like, well, boxes; we know Flora is by a
lake because she tells us while standing near a puddle of blue light, and the
Governess must be walking in the garden because she is wandering around a stage
lit with dappled leaves. I could go on. Suffice to say the direction and design
lack imagination, and misuse the device of minimalism to ultimately convey very
little in the way of atmosphere.
As with practically anything operatic these days, projected
titles are used. In heavily orchestrated pieces sung in English their use can
be justified. But for the lightly orchestrated The Turn of the Screw, in this theatre, and with this calibre of
singers, their presence is an unnecessary distraction. The titles are situated
at either side of the stage and just catch ones peripheral vision, making it
impossible to focus on the singers (who are all perfectly understandable). To
stop going mad, you end up giving up and looking away from the stage to read
the titles and thus lose any immersion in the drama.
For its scale and contemporary subject matter The Turn of the Screw is a good
repertoire choice for the Victorian Opera. The work is a perfect vehicle for
the young singers promoted by the company, but this production, while strong
musically, just misses the dramatic mark.
This review appears on AussieTheatre.com
