The Four Stages of Cruelty at Arcola Theatre

The Four Stages of Cruelty at Arcola Theatre

31 May, 2011
by: Naima Khan

Ensemble theatre company simple8 present a creative, dark play inspired by William Hogarth's eighteenth century prints. 

You can tell The Four Stages of Cruelty is art based on art. It’s a darkly aesthetic play inspired by a series of prints by William Hogarth. The theatrical version is brought to the stage by impressive ensemble theatre company simple8 who provide an energetic, incredibly atmospheric evocation of the squalor and misery of eighteenth century London as depicted in Hogarth's prints but it's only in the second half that the really compelling narrative comes in and it’s disappointingly late 

The whole play is loud and dirty, it drops us brilliatnly into the grimy world of the protagonist Tom Nero. His London is full of crowds and music but there's a distinct absence of hope. As we follow the events of Tom’s life, from his childhood crimes against animals to the murder he commits in adulthood, we're already aware of his grim fate. Destined for public dissection after hanging, we know things don't end well for Tom but we still want to see his story. However, writers and directors Sebastian Armesto and Adam Brace, seem to favour a more passive approach to the plot. The play pulls together a lot of themes and patches them together with a haphazard narrative and little drive from the characters. 

Overwhelmed by London and all its corruption, Tom falls further and further into crime and with no ambition or desire for a family, he has no reason to break out of the viscous circle he finds himself in. It’s a great point to put to Hogarth whose prints depict Tom being disemboweled, giving him no peace even in death. The play highlights the reasons for the misery and crime, and suggests Hogarth was a little shortsighted in his damnation of a young man’s failings. 

The second half is where the play really shines. Packed with scheming, deceit and risk, the writers and the fantastic ensemble cast have the audience captivated. Richard Maxted turns childish Tom into a force to be reckoned with as he inches closer to his death. The set becomes a decadent masquerade ball we can only glimpse through panels of fabric which create great windows in the Arcola’s smaller studio. In fact, the design is superbly creative throughout. We’re introduced to accordion dogs, carriages made of people and a horse made of a ukulele case but it’s simple8’s use of Hogarth’s engravings that is most impressive. Printed on panels of fabric, they are revealed and snapped away as is the final, fateful letter to Tom from his pregnant girlfriend. 

The script is impressive for its rich but accessible language and the design is definitely noteworthy but the disappointing, patchy plotline lets this production down. 



The Four Stages of Cruelty runs at Arcola Theatre until 24th June 


Click here for  Fringe Theatre in London
Click here for Theatre in London
Click here for Things to do in London   

Naima Khan