Review: Report to an Academy, Courtyard Theatre

Given that I’m currently immersed in reading Kafka’s The Trial, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see one of Kafka’s short stories, Report to an Academy, performed by Robert McNamara at the Courtyard Theatre.  

Written in 1917 the premise is that an ape, Red Peter, having learned how to copy humans in actions and speech, is giving his report on how this came about to a group of academics. 

Captured in Africa and shot in the process, the ape is locked in a cage so small that he cannot stand or sit properly. He wants to get out but does not want freedom: “freedom is something people deceive themselves with far too frequently”. By copying the sailors on the ship where he’s incarcerated, Red Peter learns how to smoke a pipe, drink Schnapps and on one occasion to say “Hello”!

Upon reaching Hamburg the ape, who is now versed in the ways of humans, has a choice between the zoo or a variety show. Choosing to launch into variety he works his way through several tutors and becomes skilled in the ways of the music hall, even having an untrained female chimp provided as a companion. 

How many of us change our behaviours in order to fit in, to break free from the everyday or escape a difficult situation? Wanting to “get out” sometimes requires a change in persona to become the person we think we should be in an organisation or culture, to have a new “tribe” but at what cost? Denying his apeness and trying to become human does not bring Red Peter happiness, because he is not free and he has not really got out. 

There could be a lot of interesting aspects to this short story that would inspire the audience to continue questioning the concept of freedom long after the show had ended. Unfortunately this was not the case. While the text is written from the perspective of the ape I’m not sure that bringing ape like actions helped the story. The text was often difficult to follow, given the staccato delivery, breaking up of sentences and the extension of what appeared random words and phrases. The rise and fall of McNamara’s vocal delivery, in places that didn’t seem to warrant special attention, also added to the feeling of having to listen very hard to grasp the message in the text. 

Apparently, McNamara performed this short story a few years ago and I wonder if he would consider taking a different approach that explored, especially in present times, the concept of freedom and who actually has it, by delivering the text straight. 

A one-person show is a brave undertaking and McNamara made some brave choices in his delivery. Ultimately we came away with the required range of emotions, specifically horror at the treatment of the ape, an understanding of the despair of the animal and of the futility of his situation. However, if McNamara were to drop some of the ape antics and dig further into the emotion he might have a show that is really outstanding. This lover of Kafka would love to see that. 

Performed by: Robert McNamara

Directed by: Gabriele Jakobi

Report to an Academy has finished its run at the Courtyard Theatre as part of the Camden Fringe.