Theatr Iolo |
| Theatr Iolo- Adventures in the Skin Trade , Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff , October 10, 2014 |
It was quite a jolt, in no way an unpleasant one I hasten to add, moving from Shakespeare’s clear tragic narrative, Romeo and Juliet the previous night to Theatr Iolo’s presentation of Dylan Thomas’ surreal unfinished novel, Adventures in the Skin Trade. Lucy Gough who has adapted the story for the stage brings her own touch of magic that adds even more delight to Thomas’ tantalizing imaginings. Written in the last year of his life it indicates a development towards a prose form, still with his brilliance but maybe more easily accessible than much of his poetry.The central character is a young man, just, Samuel Bennett – ‘Beckett!’ the echoes are very much there. He parallels the young Dylan who also visited London himself for the first time when he was just 19. Sam is the same age or there abouts, we are left uncertain about his age as we are left uncertain of many of the curious, slightly disturbing happenings in the play. Sam’s main achievement in the course of the action seems to be to get his finger stuck inside a beer bottle. I just hope he was able to drink the beer first. But like most of what happens in this enthralling seventy-five minutes it’s hard to tell if we are seeing it or just letting it all waft past our eyes like a dream. A pleasant enough dream for all that. Each member of this fine cast has put on a skin of their own that transforms them into the shadowy figures they represent. Sam, a mountain of a role, is played with a deft skill by Oliver Wood. Although by the end of the play he has experienced the seamy side of London life, at times stripped down to his underwear his whole body expresses a bemused vulnerability that he carries right from the moment we first meet him until his final words as the play ends and he is a real joy to watch. Olly Wood a portentous name, let’s hope it works for him! The tall bent wood coat stand is a toilet roll holder; Sam spends most of his train journey to London cramped up in the toilet much to the chagrin of Mr George Ring. A gorgeous and outrageous performance from the tight tweed suited, bow tied Matthew Bulgo. His snake-like dancing entwines its way through the many obstacles to life that is the furniture scattered in no particular order about the stage. Sam’s still not sure what it’s all about even after a session in a tin bath with a cool blond. The best service she does for him is to remove the bottle from his finger. He is led on his perilous journey though the down-beat taverns and streets of London by a canny Mr Allingham, another consummate performance by Richard Nichols who in the early part of the play played Samuel’s dad. Not just one cool lady to tempt our reluctant hero but three, who slip in and out of their clothes and in and out of different characters with a charming skill, in fact the performances of Ceri Ashe, Ceri Elen, and Jenny Livsey are the delicious icing on the top of this mysterious yet delectable cake. |
Reviewed by: Michel Kelligan |
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