REVIEW: Actor, at the Barron Theatre
By Louise Hemfrey
I must admit that though being in avid anticipation for more than a week about the show Actor, I was not in the best of sensibilities on Friday 6th to be seeing it. Suffering a severe, and contagious cold, I none the less braved the St Andrews chill and inadvertently passed on my flu-like symptoms in order to see one of the most fantastic and masterful pieces to come out of St Andrews theatre this year .
The commitment and enthusiasm the cast have given to this play is clear from the very start right through to the end. I was thoroughly impressed by the fluidity of the production and the energy with which the individuals pursued their roles, considering the cast had only four weeks to rehearse. Actor is a comedic, unconventional cradle to the grave tale of one actor, played zestfully by Anthony Simpson-Pike through all the misgivings, hopes and triumphs that feature in the life of this far from ordinary human being. Stroppel’s writing cleverly weaves subtle strands of humour into the body of an in depth script which discusses how choice is everything and achievement, no matter how much one strives for it, can mean nothing. Touching on the notion that while the image an actor creates is immortalised through cinema, the actor themselves is still fundamentally only human.
The cast of six ingeniously shoulder several roles through the course of the play: Simpson-Pike begins as the candid toddler version of our would-be Actor, the audience witnessing a physical as well as intellectual growing process with change of voice, the realization of self awareness and pursuit of his goal – to be an actor. As we surf and glide through the tale we meet under-achieving Thespians played by Alex Howarth and Charlotte Baker, who also play Actor’s father and mother respectively. Actor also encounters self obsessed actresses both famous, Emily Grab; and obscure, Kate Andrews, who additionally plays a gossipy media reporter. As Actor’s career progresses he acquires a veracious, snappy agent played by Will Moore. The entire show is presented in a rather alternative and dynamic style whereby all the actors sit to the side of the stage in full view of the audience for the entire show. Costume and set changes are done in character while the play roles and the change of scene is signified by the change in the picture on a projector. The straight forward set and costume allows the original talent of the performers to dominate the stage, each one bursting through the fourth wall in a unique and endearing execution of Stroppel’s farce. Attention to detail was crucial in effecting the desired variations in the play, I sat in awe of the cast and crew for being able to transfer from one role to another so gracefully and I would certainly recommend that future directors take into account this alternative way of translating a few actors into many roles.
Modern playwrights, and the theme of comedy are both equally under done in the St Andrews theatre scene, Actor attracts attention because of this, however, it was the flair and vigour which the cast brought to the stage that won over the hearts and minds of the audience.
The commitment and enthusiasm the cast have given to this play is clear from the very start right through to the end. I was thoroughly impressed by the fluidity of the production and the energy with which the individuals pursued their roles, considering the cast had only four weeks to rehearse. Actor is a comedic, unconventional cradle to the grave tale of one actor, played zestfully by Anthony Simpson-Pike through all the misgivings, hopes and triumphs that feature in the life of this far from ordinary human being. Stroppel’s writing cleverly weaves subtle strands of humour into the body of an in depth script which discusses how choice is everything and achievement, no matter how much one strives for it, can mean nothing. Touching on the notion that while the image an actor creates is immortalised through cinema, the actor themselves is still fundamentally only human.
The cast of six ingeniously shoulder several roles through the course of the play: Simpson-Pike begins as the candid toddler version of our would-be Actor, the audience witnessing a physical as well as intellectual growing process with change of voice, the realization of self awareness and pursuit of his goal – to be an actor. As we surf and glide through the tale we meet under-achieving Thespians played by Alex Howarth and Charlotte Baker, who also play Actor’s father and mother respectively. Actor also encounters self obsessed actresses both famous, Emily Grab; and obscure, Kate Andrews, who additionally plays a gossipy media reporter. As Actor’s career progresses he acquires a veracious, snappy agent played by Will Moore. The entire show is presented in a rather alternative and dynamic style whereby all the actors sit to the side of the stage in full view of the audience for the entire show. Costume and set changes are done in character while the play roles and the change of scene is signified by the change in the picture on a projector. The straight forward set and costume allows the original talent of the performers to dominate the stage, each one bursting through the fourth wall in a unique and endearing execution of Stroppel’s farce. Attention to detail was crucial in effecting the desired variations in the play, I sat in awe of the cast and crew for being able to transfer from one role to another so gracefully and I would certainly recommend that future directors take into account this alternative way of translating a few actors into many roles.
Modern playwrights, and the theme of comedy are both equally under done in the St Andrews theatre scene, Actor attracts attention because of this, however, it was the flair and vigour which the cast brought to the stage that won over the hearts and minds of the audience.