Review: The Rivals, Orange Tree Theatre

Re-writing, re-imagining and condensing a 250-year-old classic play into a production fit for the modern age is no mean feat, yet Director (and Artistic Director of the Orange Tree) Tom Littler has done a fine job here.

Set in the small yet perfectly formed in-the-round stage of the Orange Tree, we find The Rivals shifted from its original 1775 setting to the city of Bath on a single, glorious spring day in 1927. Wanting to re-create Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s original play, Littler has shifted the era and setting to allow for significant changes to the language used and the play’s overall structure. Yet setting it in the 1920s allows for some rather old-fashioned and amusing views and opinions to retain interest for a modern audience.

We start the performance with a fine solo number by Lucy (Joelle Brabban) in a suitably period costume, followed by a full ensemble song-and-dance routine, reminiscent of the roaring 20s. Some scene setting follows, and there is an introduction to the plot by Frederick (Pete Ashmore) and Thomas (Jim Findley). This could benefit from a little trimming, as the audience is keen to move on to the main event.

We soon join Lydia Languish (beautifully played by Zoe Brough), a rather spoilt, bored quintessential English rose of the time, looking for love and enlightenment and finding it, for now, in some rather racy novels. The subsequent relationship between Lydia, her cousin Julia (Boadicea Ricketts) and friend Lucy is a delight and thoroughly believable.

Lydia’s Aunt, Mrs Malaprop (an exuberant Patricia Hodge) soon makes an entrance, to the delight of the audience, with all the misquoted language and somewhat antiquated opinions that we’d expect. Littler’s choice of words here, alongside Hodge’s energy and comic timing, is an absolute highlight of the entire production. Hodge appears to be very much in her element.

As the story progresses, we’re joined by Lydia’s suitor, Captain Jack Absolute (Kit Young, perfectly cast), who very bravely makes his first appearance in a bathtub. His long-term friend ‘Faulty’ Faulkland (very well portrayed by James Sheldon) is another highlight, though he does play to the stereotype of the bumbling, upper-middle-class young gent of the time, looking for love. 

Enter Captain Jack’s father, the stern and old-fashioned Sir Anthony Absolute (a convincing Robert Bathurst), trying to steer his young, stubborn son in the modern world of romance.

A rather predictable yet amusing set of events unfolds, with the usual shenanigans and tomfoolery of a performance set in England in the 1920s, which I personally enjoy; however, this may not be to everyone’s taste. A slight trim to the ensemble would be useful as additional characters, such as Lucius O’Trigger (Colm Gormley) and Bob Acres (Dylan Corbett-Bader), add very little to the plot.

Movement and access to the stage are swift and smooth, with all corners of the tight space explored. The ensemble members deftly change the scenery and setting themselves. This is enhanced by some music and dance of the period, which is a nice touch, along with some visuals around the lower reaches of the balcony. These tell us where we are and what time of day it is, although not everybody in the audience may have seen this. On a couple of occasions, some audience members in the front row were uncomfortably close to the action; however, this was eased by the cast with some light-hearted audience interaction.

We finish with another full-ensemble song-and-dance number, which is a fitting end to a glorious, cleverly re-purposed romp which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

Written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Directed by Tom Littler
Set & Costume Design by Anett Black & Neil Irish
Lighting Design by William Reynolds
Sound Design & Composition by Tom Attwood
Movement Direction by Leah Harris

The Rivals plays at The Orange Tree Theatre until Saturday January 24