Jack Shepherd’s riveting script, executed with powerful acting from a cast of talented and immersed performers is an ideal conclusion to the Desire & Destruction Season at Riverside Studios.
Demi-Monde: The Half World of William Morris illuminates the politics and art of the 19th century designer and socialist. Director Matthew Sim introduces his audience to Morris' influences, his political dialogue and the universal dilemmas of social change with clarity and clout that makes for an engaging, expressive production. Much of this is down to Shepherd's script which waxes philosophical and questions different viewpoints on social structure through discerning, amusing characters from many levels of society.
Besides the script, Sim's success is also down to his ability to induce Shepherd's own reverence for an artist who, though clearly flawed, stood out during his time. Sim does this by creating a shared responsibility for the production amongst the cast and crew. Perhaps drawing on Morris' ideas on the time and effort put into art being as important as the result itself, he has created a complex production that flows with a cleverly varied pace; covering the driving forces in Morris' life from the early days of his marriage at the age of 25 to his death.
We meet poet, artist and charmer Dante Gabriel Rossetti (Jonathan Warde) and Morris' design partner Edward Burne-Jones (Carl Prekopp). Both show us how not to do relationships, simultaneously propping up and shooting down their beloved comrade, coveting his wife and spurring on his politics.
The cast play multiple characters, from Morris' stoic, loving wife Jane (Candida Benson) to the insightful punters who remind Morris he's part of the bourgeoisie he despises. Carl Prekopp is outstanding in his many roles and makes me sorely regret missing him in Richard III. As each new influence floats into Morris' life, they address the audience and introduce themselves shattering any obscurity, and though mostly rat-arsed, they are bewitchingly eloquent.
But by drawing a distinction between expression and emotion, Demi Monde lacked the latter: we feel little for the characters. The actors are immersed but the audience is not drawn into their emotions, so when Rossetti hallucinates and Jane (taking her place in the 'ménage') must deal with his madness, it’s difficult to sympathise. If what Sim and Shepherd sought to do was explain methods of political revolution and explore parallels of anarchy and unity, they’ve achieved just that. It seems we're not required to relate to a set of timeless characters; there are too many of them for us to get to know.
As well as providing an abridged biography, Demi Monde highlights the contrasting events that were taking place within the paranoid world of the burgeoning anarchists in 1880s Soho. The urgency in their cry for change, their notion of creating one hell of an omelette by forcefully breaking countless eggs, is a political parallel that resonates today. Demi-Monde is highly recommended for a night of engaging theatre.
Demi-Monde runs at Riverside Studios until 17.03.10
Photo 1: Simon Yadoo as William Morris
Photo 2: Carl Prekopp (Photo Credit: Luke Varley)
Click here for more Theatre in London
Click here for more Art in London
Click here for more Things to do in London
Add an event