At Hijinx Theatre |
| Hijinx Theatre- Spinning The Round Table , Sherman Theatre Cardiff , September 24, 2005 |
| In contrast to the ‘feel good’ factor that usually follows a visit to a Hijnx production Lewis Davies’ new play Spinning The Round Table takes us into the tough real world of modern day politics. Britain or is it Wales is a republic. We’re talking radicalism right from the start. The handsome and charismatic new President Arthur Lloyd, handsomely and charismatically played by Ceris Jones, has been swept to victory. With his attractive and faithful wife by his side, a performance by Alison John that begins to give us a good feeling of the strains of high office, he makes his first confident speech to the Nation. He draws his loyal advisers around him and no sooner has he made his first cabinet appointment, he makes his first enemy. The interesting analogy drawn with Arthurian Legend indicates that political back-stabbing has been around for a very long time, in both fact and fiction. Lawrence, a somewhat less than charismatic figure, is given the job of First Minister. He wears a much smarter haircut than Rhodri Morgan and clearly goes to a much better tailor. Set and costume designer, Blaanid Maddrell has made a fine and appropriate contribution to the production with her well-cut suits and smart ‘conference hall’ style set. . Morgan Rhys brings a touch of good solid loyalty to the role but that dreadful spin-doctor love just has to intervene. And yes it does put him in a terrible spin. Emyr John’s Morgan, quite a Morganatic production this, is a man that craves high-office and is not by any means content to remain in the post of communication director, a job he has done so well through the election. He’s a combination of Alastair Campbell and Piers Morgan – not a very nice man. He collaborates with a camp television Talk Show host to humiliate the President’s wife. There’s some nifty doubling up throughout the production, all done with a deft touch by director Chris Morgan. Emyr John plays the TV host himself and his dueting with Alison John at the end of the devastating interview is the highlight of the show. Arthur has to go and play his part on the world stage. His wife and the First Minister are left to look after things at home and after each other. Scheming Morgan makes sure the rumour spreads, party popularity declines and all goes tumbling down the well-known slippery slope. But life has to go on! Davies’ clearly written dialogue reflects the tone of today’s tabloid newspapers very well. He writes with a gentle satire, making me wish he would sharpen up his knives a bit more. His characters are clearly drawn and the actors give good representations of them. This was only the third performance of the play and I feel sure that as it progresses, an even stronger focus on characterisation will emerge. A good looking clean cut production with interesting and effective music set by the young and ubiquitous Cardiff based composer James Williams and yes I did come away feeling good – almost! I look forward to seeing the production in its full maturity when it returns to the Wales Millennium Centre on the 9 & 10 December at the end of its tour. |
Reviewed by: Michael Kelligan |
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