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Captivating and exhilarating, this production is hypnotic and teeming with physical creativity.Summary
Rating
Unmissable!
Produced by the innovative and inclusive production company, Turtle Key Arts, Ockham’s Razor’s new production of Tess is visually hypnotic and teems with physical creativity. Keep an eye out for these theatre makers and their original approach to storytelling, as it is both captivating and exhilarating.
Taking a classic and giving it a new treatment is a challenge Ockham’s Razor meets head on, and Tess of The D’Urbevilles is breathlessly reconceived in this new physical theatre production that employs, dance, acrobatics, circus skills and narration– all wrapped up in the visual and digital arts that focus on Tess, a woman journeying through love, desire, and rejection. It is set against the background of a society that actively promotes class division, misogyny, hypocrisy, and denial as virtuous. Tess battles on, juggling love and life: as we move through her journey, we see the past resonating and calling out to the present, as the tale reminds us that exclusion is nothing new.
The set and costumes design by Tina Bicat has swirling skirts, milk maid pinafores, shawls and much more to capture these rural girls as they sow and harvest the fruits of the earth. Under garments flash sensible shorts and boots, and this allows for free movement as maids flip, spin, and tumble like mown hay across a windy field. Warm tones, both in fabric and light, heat the action and give shape to working rural life. All is enlivened with further choreography (Nathan Johston) which often suggests scything, pulling, threshing– all making hay while the sun shines in a fertile land. It reminds us of Hardy capturing the changing fortunes of agricultural life. Tess’ life and love is shaped by the ruling social conventions of the time, even with rapid Victorian changes. But Hardy and this production remind us that rural working-class life was still subject to powerful controlling forces – generally male. These workers are set against a design of basic materials: washing lines, ropes, wooden supports, tall- planked fences, and barn-like timber framed structures that allow us to see the effort to build, to reap and produce.
The company roll, tumble, cartwheel and balance with ingenuity and vigour yet keep the narrated tale in focus. Tess, played by both Macadie Amoroso (a compelling narrator) and Lila Naruse, physically expressed this tale of love, loss, and exclusion. Both performers were powerful in capturing Hardy’s transition from the natural life to the disruptive, increasingly industrial forces imposed by men and machinery. Joshua Frazer, as Alec D’Urbeville, pounces and preys on the young Tess with dynamic moves that envelop and exploit her. Eventually, power prevails as his red-lined frock coat envelops her. Nat Whittingham, as Angel Clare, presents a sensitive soul that cannot stray from social norms: he hypocritically rejects the fallen Tess with a series of movements, gestures, that consume the space– edging Tess out as he writhes in torment, loving and loathing despite himself.
All the performers, of course, worked tirelessly: holding and supporting a talented company on shoulders, holding planks of timber; creating steps and styles, hills and dales, peaks and troughs allowing us to appreciate the journey undertaken by Tess – truly a creative ensemble effort (Leah Wallings, Victoria Skillen, Lauren Jamieson) as they all contributed to devising the production as well.
With ingenuity and flair, vibrancy and physical spectacle, directors Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney maintain focus on an innocent abroad while exposing the social contradictions of age. A mention should be given to the original compositions and musical backdrop created by Holly Khan, whose auditory feast suited the visuals and supports a well-told tale.
Lighting Design by: Aideen Malone
Video Design by: Daniel Denton
Associate Designer by: Katie Strawn
Script adviser: Anne-Marie Casey
Production and Technical manager: Ben Cowens
Company stage manager: Jack Scanlon
Following its run at The Peacock, until 3rd February, Tess with be touring all around the UK. Further information and booking can be found here.
This is part of a new season of work from MimeLondon. Further information can be found here.
