A rare case of a stage adaptation that's better than its source material.Rating
Excellent
Twenty-two years have passed since the greatly missed Theo Van Gogh released Interview on to cinema screens, but this new adaptation shows that his work still packs a punch and is as relevant as ever. Though with that said, it has been modernised by director Teunkie Van Der Sluijs, and all of the alterations are fascinating ones, which have made it an even sharper and more thought-provoking work than the award-winning movie it’s based upon.
A two-hander where former political journalist Pierre Peters (Robert Sean Leonard) has to reluctantly interview young film star Katya (Paten Hughes), who initially made her name via social media. For ninety minutes, both actors captivate the audience. Every time you might think you have a handle on the characters, there’s a rug pull or a twist, which suggests that these are far more complex individuals than is initially suggested.
It’s made very clear from the get-go that Pierre feels writing a puff piece about an actor is beneath him, but even worse is that a major political story is breaking about the impeachment of the Vice President that he’s desperate to cover. And so, his barbed mockery of Katya almost torpedoes the interview before it’s begun. What makes this production so compelling is that it gradually reveals that Katya is more than a match for Pierre, and meets each initially tired and poorly researched question with a sharp rejoinder.
Thus, what begins as a weary commentary on politics in 2025, the vapid nature of fame soon develops into something far more interesting. They are touching on a number of themes, including power dynamics between the press and the performer, the ways actors are expected to live their lives constantly in the public eye, and how they are morally judged for every single thing they do.
It’s surprisingly funny given the themes it explores, and for the first thirty minutes, it almost feels like a modern screwball comedy as the duo swap acerbic lines. It’s a play which needs two stand-out performances to work, but it absolutely has them, and while Leonard is superb throughout, it’s Hughes who anchors the play. It is one of those performances where it’d be astonishing if she weren’t nominated across the board come awards season.
There are occasional moments which feel a little unnatural and which seem to have been inserted to move the plot forward, and the music used during some of the more dramatic sequences is oddly intrusive. You could also question whether such an experienced journalist as Pierre would act as he does at times, but these are minor quibbles and certainly don’t interfere with this being an absorbing drama. It’s a work that asks a lot of questions about our relationship with the press and celebrities, and for once, also contains some intriguing answers.
Adapted for the stage and Directed by Teunkie Van Der Sluijs
Based on the work of Theodor Holman and Theo Van Gogh
Set Design by Derek McLane
Costume Design by Bernat Buscato
Lighting Design by Jackie Shemesh
Music and Sound Design by Ata Güner
Produced by Douglas Denoff
Interview is playing at the Riverside Studios until Saturday 27 September.
