Amelia Nicholson's direction of Martin Crimp's The Country has potential but sorely disappointed on opening night.
There are too few interesting plays about married couples. Possibly because married couples are rarely that interesting. Martin Crimp it seems, shares my cynicism. His play, The Country, at Arcola Theatre, is a good example of the emotional detachment he favours. The play follows miserable, unloved Corinne and her recovering addict, GP husband Richard, after he brings home a damsel in distress he finds at the side of the road.
The couple have moved to the countryside from the city, which is excellently illuminated in the set design by Anna Bliss Scully, coupled nicely with intense lighting by Richard Williamson. The set is possibly the best thing about this production. The acting is either overly sluggish, occasionally erratic or plain flat. As expected, the communication between Crimp's characters leaves much to be desired, but this is his point. The acting however, does little to hold our attention, although to her credit, Amanda Root's Corinne occasionally becomes unsettlingly desperate.
The couple don't snipe at each other often enough; they meander back and forth in a dull, round-about way. They constantly need clarification, but rather than deliver their dialogue with a hint of urgency, what comes out is apathetic. Only as the plot begins to unfurl and the solid structure of Crimp's script takes centre stage do things get interesting. The play is punctuated by calls from the outside world, cheifly from Richard's boss, Morris. Piercing their way into this closed off, closed down marriage, the phone calls are a welcome relief for the audience too as we get to see the characters invested in real communication.
Naomi Wattis also calls us to attention. Her brazen American character, Rebecca, who Richard has supposedly saved, is an injection of passion. Her lines make us think and question. Wattis carries this production and engages us with not only her character, but that of Corinne and Richard as she teases out their reactions and reasoning.
Crimp's script is brilliantly structured but is in no way gripping or suspenseful in this production. Having said that, I do have faith the performances will pick up as the run goes on.
The Country runs at Arcola thetare until 23rd October
Click here for more Fringe Theatre in London
Click here for Theatre in London
Click here for Things to do in London
Add an event
Frieze Art Fair to launch new section for young galleries in 2012
Frieze have today announced details for the 2012 edition, their tenth art fair in London. Taking place...