It was raining when I left Pret A Manger, but fortunately it was only a very short distance along the South Bank to The National Theatre. I had hoped that Emma Rice's company Wise Children would include Oxford on their tour as that had done on previous occasions. Here I saw Rebecca before Emma left Kneehigh and took off for that less than successful sojourn at The Globe. Then Wise Children (adapting Angela Carter's book and calling her company the same name), and Mallory Towers. Instead here they are at The National Theatre.
I'm sure I have been to The Lyttleton Theatre there many years ago, but my records fail me in this respect. However I'm sure it was not in the circle as my seat in the middle of the second row was probably the one I would have chosen given a choice anywhere in the auditorium.
I couldn't remember all of the plot, it must have been a long time ago I watched a film or TV adaptation. The excellent programme gave me some background reminders. Emma Rice's version is, as always, a bit off the wall but terrifically theatrical. The Moor played by numerous members of the cast, explanations about who's who (thank goodness) and placards to tell us who has died (many).
It's quite a long play, almost three hours including an interval, but there is a lot to get through. And songs. The cast is fine but not exceptional. Ash Hunter as Heathcliffe seemed a little one dimensional. But Lucy McCormick as Catherine was superb. There is also an amazing performance from the diminutive Katy Owen. her high pitched comic routine as first Isabella Linton and then Little Linton is an Emma Rice special. Never before will these two characters have been portrayed anything like they were here. That's why The globe didn't get her. But boy, did we need some light relief.
The staging is, as always, quite brilliant. Very few props, mainly just a door as photo above. I liked the musicians at the back of the stage, often giving quiet background music to the dialogue. I will remember this production for a long time.
The journey home was amazing. Despite my umbrella, I was soaked from the rain walking back to Embankment Underground and somehow survived the treacherous flooded steps up and down the Golden Jubilee Bridge. However, I left the theatre dead on 5 pm, a train was waiting on Embankment's platform, and then finding I only had five minutes to get on the 5.30pm FAST train at Marylebone (first stop Great Missenden!) which arrived at Stoke Mandeville at 6.15pm. Ridiculous.
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