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Through great performances, innovative staging and unusual production design, The Donmar Warehouse’s new high energy production brings a contemporary dynamic to Tolstoy's classic novel.Summary
Rating
Excellent
The Donmar Warehouse‘s most recent show has the eye-catching title of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and is based on Leo Tolstoy’ seminal novel War and Peace. Not the whole epic novel, but part 8, a 70 page section in the middle of the story. Oh, and it’s also a musical! Ambitiously, it drops the audience straight into the middle of a narrative and expects them to keep up. This is not the only way that the show is both artistically ambitious and original. From the staging to the production design, it is a long way from the usual West End musical.
The bombastic opening number, titled Prologue, introduces the characters, their relationships and the plot so far, quickly bringing the audience up to speed. After this scene and tone setting opener, the energy remains high throughout as characters and scenes are handled quickly to create a restless onward driving force for the narrative. There are many catchy songs that had me tapping my feet along. This is especially true in the second half, with songs including Letters and The Abduction.
The songs are very strong, but the real strength comes from how the cast superblybring them to life. There are many amazing performances and every member is great. Declan Bennett’s Pierre is especially captivating, with Bennett also a brilliant singer. An equally brilliant vocalist is Maimuna Memon as Sonya who sings phenomenally well. Contemporary dancer Chihiro Kawasaki showcases her exceptional dancing skills, whilst Chumisa Dornford-May has strong stage presence as Natasha.
The show has exceptional live music, bringing presence to the songs, especially Elaine Ambridge on the viola. Some of the musicians sit on the stage wearing appropriate costumes, which breaks the traditional divide between musicians and actors. The music has a gypsy punk vibe, reminiscent of Gogol Bordello, which channels the aesthetic of Eastern Europe and Russian literature (Gogol being a reference to Russian novelist Nikolai Gogol).
The original staging makes an old book feel fresh. The Donmar is well known for its innovative staging and this show is no exception, employing their signature minimalist approach and distinctive technique of cast members not in the current scene sitting at the back of the stage.
The stage itself is adorned only with the word “Moscow” to invoke the setting, but the first “O” descends from the ceiling as a lighting rig. This is both striking, simple and effective in creating enough sense of place for each scene, whilst preserving the frenetic pace and leaving space for the performances to shine through. Light bulbs are positioned on the seats that beautifully convey the coming of the eponymous comet.
The production design is excellent, blending period pieces with punk and goth fashion, Doc Martens and leather skirts, along with the ball gowns. There are modern nods in the props such as Pierre reading The Origins of Totalitarianism, written partly about Russia in the 20th century. This aesthetic brings a contemporary dynamic to a classic novel and makes its universal themes of love and loss resonate.
This high energy production is a lot of fun and has powerfully moving moments. The ambitious Donmar approach matches the stature of the novel and succeeds in making a classic work of literature current. The many original ideas, executed well, make this a standout show.
Credits: Declan Bennett, Andrew Berlin, Kimberly Blake, Chumisa Dornford-May, Ali Goldsmith, Chihiro Kawasaki, Daniel Krikler, Nitai Levi, Annie Majin, Eugene McCoy, Annette McLaughlin, Maimuna Memon, Jamie Muscato, Cedric Neal, Chloe Saracco and Cat Simmons
Directed by: Tim Sheader
Choreograpy by: Ellen Kane
Musical Supervision by: Nicholas Skilbeck
Set Design by: Leslie Travers
Costume Design by: Evie Gurney
Lighting Design by: Howard Hudson
Sound Design by: Nick Lidster and Gareth Tucker
Musical Direction by: Sam Young
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, plays at The Donmar Warehouse until 8th of February 2025. Further information and booking are available here.
