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The Colour
of Poppies |
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Marthe is 'so excited' about her date. Rightly so, for the rendez-vous with her cravat-sporting admirer, Felix, at the Three Musketeers Brasserie will give her a new lease of life. For Marthe is 75 years old, and the widow of surly, irascible old Edmund is now transformed into a starry-eyed romantic through her flirtations with Monsieur des Cravats. Marthe's emotions dictate how old she feels. Love-letters, life-drawing and love-making rejuvenate Marthe but love at a 75 comes with the same difficulties as love at any age, and a brief but intense fit of unjustified jealousy manifests itself in sharp physical as well as emotional pain. Happily, but mundanely, the play ends with Marthe enthusiastically accepting another date with Felix, a trip to Seville; her future looks rosy (or perhaps poppy-coloured - the flower is used throughout the play as the emblem of sensuality and love). Amazingly, the romance is recounted solely by Marthe. The actress who plays her, Faith Brook, is a tour de force: telling her tale for more than an hour, she seems to have even more vivacity than the similarly aged character that she portrays. Her solo performance is supported by strong and clever use of lighting, a costume change, and choreography. Colour, particularly red, is used in the narrative to invoke powerful images throughout the play. This play is enlightening, particularly to the younger generation, who may perceive the elderly as incapable of such sensuality. It is gentle and intimate, athough perhaps over sentimental, and should be seen especially for the admirable solo performance of Faith Brook. Lucy Moore,
20.04.04 |
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