Review: Vincent in Brixton, Orange Tree Theatre

Portrayals of Van Gogh often begin with the end of his life: the sad, mad period when painting without recognition became too much for him to bear. There is a romance to the struggling artist that has evolved into a set of lazy tropes. Geniuses are troubled. Creativity means sacrifice. Early death is inevitable. I’ve come to dislike this take on life entirely. It is possible to be talented and mentally well. In fact, it should be encouraged.

The great strength of Vincent in Brixton is that it avoids clichés by presenting the great painter in his youth. We are asked to challenge all our assumptions as his future is subtly foreshadowed, but never referenced directly. It is the ultimate dramatic irony. We know more about Van Gogh’s fate than he does. It’s a playwriting masterstroke. It lets writer Nicholas Wright explore familiar subjects afresh and take huge imaginative leaps while keeping us squarely grounded. We’re hearing conversations that there clearly can be no historical record of, yet they feel right, true and searingly honest.

As Van Gogh, Jeroen Frank Kales gives us a believable, cocky adolescent lacking social sophistication and self-awareness. His naïve boldness initially gets a lot of laughs. Later, it becomes darker and harder to enjoy. The world makes no sense to this confused young man, who feels everything red raw and red hot. It’s not really a surprise when he turns up late in the play, soaked to the skin, and broken. Despite some appalling behaviour, we can’t help but feel for this version of the great painter. It’s a remarkable performance, astonishingly Kales’s professional debut.

Niamh Cusack excels too as the widowed matriarch, Ms Loyer. The play tracks her relationship with Vincent from concerned landlady to, well, something else. The two actors share a lot of stage time, especially in Act One, discussing love, art and hope, but also fear, loss and the blackness of depression. It’s almost unbearable to hear Vincent van Gogh navigate his own psyche, knowing what is to come. These conversations, gently teasing out the human condition, comically one moment, and deeply moving the next, represent playwriting of the highest order. Lines hit you hard in the solar plexus; be warned. 

Despite this, the end of Act One leaves us feeling a little optimistic. Rest assured, minutes into Act Two, all hope is abandoned. Anna, Vincent’s caustic sister, arrives with melodramatic levels of villainy. It’s an arresting performance from Amber van de Brugge, with expert, fierce comic timing landing despite minimal stage time. Yes, her interjections stretch credibility, but it feels harsh to complain because the plot, structurally, demands the catalyst she provides. Ms Loyer’s daughter (Ayesha Ostler) and her beau (Rawaed Asde) complete the cast and play their part in Van Gogh’s life lessons. All in all, Richmond’s Orange Tree continues to attract formidable acting talent to its small but beautifully formed stage.

Designer Charlotte Hennery has created a sense of period with the lightest of touches. We’re in a very real mid-1800s kitchen, with a working stove no less. Lighting design by Lucía Sánchez Roldán is suitably painterly, and director Georgia Green marshals everyone around a central table without the action ever feeling forced. In fact, the moments when characters stand still, unsure what to do or say next, are among the play’s most effective.

It’s an intriguing question. What if Van Gogh had stayed in Brixton? He might never have painted Sunflowers or Starry Night. And yet…? Well, you should see the play and make up your own mind.

Writer: Nicholas Wright
Director: Georgia Green
Set & Costume Designer: Charlotte Henery
Lighting Designer: Lucía Sánchez Roldán
Sound Designer & Composer: Donato Wharton
Movement Director: Jenny Ogilvie
Assistant Director: Madi Mahoney

Vincent in Brixton plays at The Orange Tree theatre until Saturday 18 April.