The Notebook of Trigorin

Published Tuesday 19 February 2008 at 14:55 by Anne Broom

Taking up the challenge of directing an English premiere of Tennessee Williams’ adaptation of Chekhov’s classic, director Ben Crocker seeks and finds the heart of the play to present absorbing theatre.

While gently teasing out it its subtle humour he foregrounds the simmering tensions that underpin the action. His cast led by Liz Crowther as actress Arkadina is a balanced, focused and close-knit ensemble. Carefully choreographed action reveals the highs and lows as relationships between mother, son and lover are intimately scrutinised, rare moments of tenderness starkly juxtaposed with jealous rage.

Kit Surrey’s beautiful spacious and versatile set allows the action to move smoothly and at a fair pace from languorous lakeside capturing a palpable quality of stillness to lofty domestic interior where as a storm rages there is edgy volatility. Ambient lighting and sound, never overdone or intrusive, imaginatively enhance the picture to orchestrate atmosphere.

Philip Cumbus is a sensitive Constantine, a man of moods and passion who desperately seeks his mother’s recognition. His relationship with Crowther’s vain, restless, self-centred Arkadina is always believable, driving the play forward to its dramatic conclusion. Intuitively David Peart finds Sorin’s gentle pathos and great good humour while James Wallace is a measured and elegant Trigorin. Riann Steele’s graceful tortured Nina, Charlie Walker-Wise (Medvenko) and Daisy Douglas (Masha) convey and sustain the shifting moods and balance of complex relationships and there are well-judged performances from Vincent Brimble as the lecherous doctor Dorn and Steve Bennett (Shamrayev).