| A tragic tale of desire and loneliness |
Theatr y Byd |
| Theatr y Byd- Butterfly , Chapter Arts Centre Cardiiff , March 26, 2006 |
Like the insect that lends its name, this play draws your eyes to its splendour like a moth to a flame. A play in which a frustrated art critic transforms himself into a vampire, sucking the souls of young artists from their canvasses hardly seeps allurement. However, this exquisitely dark comedy soon suppressed any negative expectations as the beautifully poetic words began to flow. The simplicity of Tim Davies’ installation provides a perfect space for the actors, who utilize it competently, circling each other in an atmosphere of desperate frustration. The precise positioning of certain aspects of the set illustrates the critic’s obsessive need for control whilst the bleak colours used reflect the wretched coldness of his dispirited heart. In addition, the purity of Amy Wadge’s accompanying music fills the theatre with an air of calm encasing the frantic world of anger and pain on stage. Ian Saynor delivers an absorbing performance as the troubled critic, his harsh yet lyrical words falling like pins onto the cushion of the audience. A man without definition he uses language full of passion to describe his lust for the visual, yearning for its return like a lost lover. Uncomfortable within his own skin he looks to others for the answers to his unattainable desires, dissecting their thoughts like a ravenous bird of pray. The intensity of this perfectly executed performance fused my attention to this wonderfully tragic character. Sam Miller gives a well-rounded portrayal as the Boy, a character tortured by loss, blinded by emotion and desperate for revenge. Slow to expose the true rawness of this character, Miller comes into his own as his relation to the Butterfly is revealed. With a talent still developing this was a solid performance that exposed the great potential of this young actor. Alison John as the young butterfly gives a haunting portrayal of a lost soul, living through the minds of those left behind. I was nervous with her entrance that the performance might drift into melodrama, but John showed maturity and perceptiveness in her interpretation. The passion between these two characters was at times electric, with each breath, the audience feeling the intensity brush pass their faces. Ian Rowland’s first work for five years is both harsh and evocative, at times making you feel wounded as the characters batter you with their metaphoric weapons. Though it’s contemporary features cannot and should not be denied, this is a play that when stripped bare is a tragic tale of desire and loneliness that captures the audience like it’s own butterfly in a jar. |
Reviewed by: Amy Stackhouse |
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