3:40pm Wednesday 14th April 2010
By Angie Johnson
In the last week of Oxfringe there was still lots to enjoy. At the OFS Studio in Heather Dunmore’s accomplished play Blue, Leo – played with an arresting poignancy by Richard Ward (pictured) – is a GP who for decades has treated his fair share of depressed patients. Then out of the blue (forgive the pun) it strikes him down also, and he realises all the ‘pull-yourself-together’ advice he has liberally given others is no answer.
His is a tough journey but he learns much about both himself and the human condition, and the well-written script by Dunmore with strong performances from the cast made sure that we in the audience did also. If you believe a play about depression has to be heavy weather think again – as with all dark subjects there is also a funny side, and this play is not afraid to be both honest and, when called for, laugh-out-loud funny. Also at the OFS, but with a very different kettle of fish, the Abingdon Drama Club presented their multimedia adaptation of Ibsen’s Peer Gynt. Using projected imagery, soundscapes, music and movement they cleverly updated the story of the fantasist boy who, when he grows old, is forced to examine his life to evaluate what it has all been worth. Jon Crowley as ‘old Peer’ and Tristan Kear as ‘young Peer’ take us through his adventures, some a bit wild, but all realised very imaginatively. Joined by Lin Beaker as Peer’s mother and John Hawking as the scary ‘Button Moulder’ (a Grim Reaper sort of dude!) the four combined stylised acting and physical movement to produce a powerful and fascinating abstract of a life. As the Button Moulder says: “Not a good man, not a bad one, maybe 50/50.” Visually and audibly it’s very powerful; full marks to whoever designed the technical side. This Peer Gynt was certainly different – and in a really good way!
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