In the early going of Great Expectations there is a bare
knuckled fight between a young Pip (Adam Sollis) and Herbert (Harry Richardson)
started by the latter, won decisively by the former. They much later become
fast friends. I mention this because it prompts the thought that I have been
watching a World Heavyweight Title Fight all year between the respective third
year musical theatre and acting classes at WAAPA. Two evenly matched opponents
slugging it out and what a bout it has been!
If West Side Story is the crowning achievement of the
musical theatre class in the red corner then the acting cohort in the blue
corner have replied in stunning fashion with this production. To extend the
boxing analogy, I had a ringside seat, front row centre, at the Geoff Gibbs
Theatre. And what a view it was - a brilliant adaptation of the great novel,
inventively staged and directed, with superb performances across the board.
The cast of seventeen actors are all given moments to shine
as the adaptation features the use of a rotating chorus who vocalise Pip’s
innermost thoughts and provide ancillary characters as well as, amusingly, such
things as dogs and gargoyles. The cast is in constant movement and this gives
the play great energy and a unique treatment to one of the classics of Western
literature.
But it’s in the featured roles where impressive performances
are everywhere:
Firstly, I doff my cap to Adam Sollis as Pip who is
tremendous. From frightened young boy, to disgruntled apprentice, to eager
suitor, to a gentleman in London living the high life, to a man whose newfound world
crumbles around him as the revelations pile up in the second act, he gives such
a likeable and convincing performance in the demanding central role.
Jonny Hawkins is wonderful as Joe Gargery, the simple
blacksmith with a big heart. I spoke to him briefly afterwards to congratulate
him on the show and his blistering performance in Festen and he said the
trade-off for playing the devil in Festen was to play Joe, the complete
opposite. He was in high spirits and clearly had fun in the role generating a
lot of good-natured humour.
Emma Diaz is radiant as Estella, the object of Pip’s
affection. Pip is constantly asked by Miss Havisham if Estella is pretty and
yes, Diaz is every bit the beauty here but plays the cold and heartless
creature of Havisham’s creation very well.
Alexis Lane is unrecognisable as Miss Havisham with grey,
bedraggled hair, dirty wedding dress and stark make-up. She appeared to be
relishing the role of the manipulative old woman whose heart was broken at the
altar with a mischievous gleam in the eyes that was compelling.
Jane Watt shines as the (male) lawyer Jaggers and after
final bows almost danced off stage and so she should be happy with her
authoritative performance. Harry Richardson plays Herbert with a
straightforward earnestness that I really enjoyed and Stephanie Tsindos is an
honest, straight talking Biddy.
Alex Malone is a vigorous Mrs Joe and really propels the
play in the early scenes. Likewise, Julio Machado provides an early comic turn
as Pumblechook that sets up the lighter tone that is throughout the play though
not so much in the latter stages of the second act as we get down to business
with a series of revelations that actually require a lot of exposition and even
the odd ‘flashback’ scene, one done very effectively in silhouette behind a
white sheet.
Aleks Mikic is brutally in your face as the convict in the
opening and has a much bigger presence in the second act as Magwitch makes his
presence known to Pip. While a changed man and the source of Pip’s good
fortune, he can’t help but be who he was conditioned to be as he attacks his
nemesis Compeyson (Alexander Frank) to seal his downfall. Liam Maguire is
suitably creepy and resentful as Orlick with Harriet Davies (Wemmick), Henry
Hammersla, Joel Horwood, Kirsty Marillier, and Felicity McKay rounding out the
cast in various roles and as part of the chorus.
The buzz at intermission and after the show was one of real
excitement. I was talking with three young actors who have aspirations to go to
WAAPA and how could you not be but inspired on the evidence of this outing.
That and the fact there were two other high quality performances going on in
the nearby venues. It was also great to see such good crowds all three nights
that I have been at the Mount Lawley campus this week.
Directed by Andrew Lewis (also in high spirits after the
show), Adapted from the Charles Dickens novel by Nick Ormerod and Declan
Donnellan and featuring WAAPA’s graduating acting class, there is only one show remaining at the Geoff Gibbs Theatre, Thursday 28 August at 7.30pm. If you can get a ticket definitely go and
see it - a highlight of 2014.
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