July 14, 2009
On the final stint of its national tour this week is Emma Rice’s stage production of Noel Coward’s popular tear-jerker Brief Encounter. The transition from film to stage (and vice-versa) is often intriguing, but it is all the more so in this case, given the popularity and timelessness of the film. An interesting prospect then, and one that could quite feasibly go horribly wrong in many people’s eyes. Indeed, the mingling of live action with black and white film footage, as well as the borrowing of material from Coward’s earlier play Still Life, may not be to everyone’s taste. However, the result is a fascinating, clever, quirky and inventive piece of theatre that offers a livelier take on the much loved film whilst still managing to be poignant, tense and heartfelt.
Hannah Yelland and Milo Twomey put in first-class performances as the two married lovers struggling to do the honourable thing, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The supporting cast, meanwhile, is excellent and offers some welcome relief to the growing tension with jovial flirtations and songs. Indeed, music plays an integral part throughout the production. Rachmaninov’s familiar Piano Concerto No. 2 obviously features, but Rice also intersperses scenes with songs written by Noel Coward himself. Furthermore, half of the ten-strong cast are musicians, who play live on stage and even before each half of the play, much to the delight of the audience. The choreography and use of props are also worth mentioning – at times the combination of props, movement and projections is simply astonishing.
This show, with its mix of stage action, cinematography and quirky touches certainly won’t please those in the audience seeking a more conventional adaptation of David Lean’s screenplay. One might argue, however, that to try something totally different with such a popular work is far more prudent than to attempt to replicate it. Whatever one’s thoughts on how this production fares compared to the much loved film of 1946, Emma Rice deserves credit for what is an imaginative, witty and gripping stage play – in my eyes, an absolute triumph. Go see it!
Hannah Yelland and Milo Twomey put in first-class performances as the two married lovers struggling to do the honourable thing, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The supporting cast, meanwhile, is excellent and offers some welcome relief to the growing tension with jovial flirtations and songs. Indeed, music plays an integral part throughout the production. Rachmaninov’s familiar Piano Concerto No. 2 obviously features, but Rice also intersperses scenes with songs written by Noel Coward himself. Furthermore, half of the ten-strong cast are musicians, who play live on stage and even before each half of the play, much to the delight of the audience. The choreography and use of props are also worth mentioning – at times the combination of props, movement and projections is simply astonishing.
This show, with its mix of stage action, cinematography and quirky touches certainly won’t please those in the audience seeking a more conventional adaptation of David Lean’s screenplay. One might argue, however, that to try something totally different with such a popular work is far more prudent than to attempt to replicate it. Whatever one’s thoughts on how this production fares compared to the much loved film of 1946, Emma Rice deserves credit for what is an imaginative, witty and gripping stage play – in my eyes, an absolute triumph. Go see it!