George Buchner’s incomplete and fragmentary tragedy of Woyzeck
has fascinated authors, performers and audiences for over a century (it received
its premiere in 1913, some 76 years after the author’s death). Its powerful message
about the mental damage caused by military service sadly remains a perennial
one, as does its sub-plot of toxic masculinity and jealousy.
When Jack Thorne’s retelling of the story opened in London
in 2017, critics questioned whether it was Woyzeck at all, or in fact another
play entirely. The Stage’s Tim Bano hit the nail on the head in concluding that
it was both. Thorne’s text resets the story in cold war Berlin in the 1980s,
giving it a more touchable proximity in time, while his dialogue makes the
characters relatable to a modern audience.
Despite the many and obvious changes, the spirit of Buchner’s
original is still very much there. A young soldier living in fear of unknown
looming terrors submits to medical experiments, here depicted as taking part in
drug trials. The combined effects of the drugs and the inhuman treatment he
endures eat away at his mind. In this unstable state his jealousy of Marie, the
mother of his child, leads to the inevitable tragic conclusion.
This is theatre that ought to be an uneasy experience to
watch, and it is certainly an ambitious project to undertake. Huge plaudits
then to Old Fruit Jar Productions who stage it here in Hope Street’s
unforgivingly intimate space. Every detail is in extreme close-up on this
stage, and the performances from its extraordinary young cast all stand up
flawlessly under scrutiny.
Director Alex Carr, whose previous work has been almost exclusively
in film, has a sharp eye for detail. Every nuance of each performance is honed
to perfection, and the seven-strong cast show unerring focus throughout. Carr
cranks up the dramatic tension with impressive control, gradually drawing his
audience into the encroaching horror and never letting it sag for a moment,
despite the lengthy performance duration. Though this is very much an ensemble
piece, particular note must go to Jordan Barkley and Florence King, who play
the central pairing of Woyzeck and Marie with keenly judged emotion.
With disarmingly pared-back staging, the setting allows our
focus to remain with the dialogue and the narrative, and sound and lighting too
is used with judicious restraint. This is excellent work that deserves a
further outing after this week’s four day run.
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| Jordan Barkley as Woyzeck |
Star Rating: Four Stars
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