Arms and the Man - Orange Tree

[tmesis]

I hugely enjoyed this on Saturday. It’s the last of Paul Miller’s Shaw productions that he has specialised in during his tenure in Richmond and the equal of all the others produced there. There’s not a weak link in the cast and at times it’s very funny, particularly because of a gloriously over the top performance from Alex Baht as Sergius.

The only surprise was they stuck with the 3 acts/2 intervals presentation. Since the timings are 35’/35’/50’ they could easily have run acts 1 and 2 straight through, even allowing for the considerable change of scene between the first two acts.

[Steve]

Nov 28, 2022 17:48:36 GMT tmesis said:

I hugely enjoyed this on Saturday. It’s the last of Paul Miller’s Shaw productions that he has specialised in during his tenure in Richmond and the equal of all the others produced there. There’s not a weak link in the cast and at times it’s very funny, particularly because of a gloriously over the top performance from Alex Baht as Sergius.

The only surprise was they stuck with the 3 acts/2 intervals presentation. Since the timings are 35’/35’/50’ they could easily have run acts 1 and 2 straight through, even allowing for the considerable change of scene between the first two acts.

Yes, I agree with all you say. This was really entertaining for me too, and Alex Bhat's comic exaggeration of a character was especially funny, just as he was in "French without Tears." He is such a great comedic actor and I'd love to see him in more comedies.

Rebecca Collingwood equally made me laugh, especially the way she flipped from giggling girl to cold hard pragmatism, on a dime.

Alex Waldman was also funny, as her cold hard pragmatic possible soulmate.

Paul Miller has entertained me so much with his Shaw productions, and educated me too, as I had thought Shaw was too much of a windbag to bother with some of these plays.

Great fun. 4 stars from me. )

[Dave B]

Well, this was *fun*.

Smashing cast with Alex Bhat and Alex Waldmann being particularly good. A very full matinee and for the first time since before Covid, upstairs was open with people sitting there!

[bgarde]

What a marvellous play. My previous theatre trip this week (Christmas Carol at the Bridge) had been such a disappointment and this more than compensated. Every performance is spot on and add a great deal to the story- not sure when I was so impressed by the whole cast. And it is all hugely funny without the farce feeling forced. Brilliant!

[joem]

Yes, enjoyable production even if the play is dated. Shows you can rescue or keep plays in the canon even with unpromising circumstances. What could be a tedious comedy becomes a well-done farce.

[showgirl]

Solely on the strength of comments here I made a now-rare trip to Richmond yesterday for this and am glad I did (despite having to go via central London as Clapham Junction & Victoria were shut and SWT had a much-reduced service - but still a welcome break from the frequent strikes); joem has summed it up aptly and succinctly above. I had only seen one previous production but too long ago to recall more than that, though I doubt it had the pace and clear, confident direction which this version did and which the play needs. You can see why it's rarely revived compared to other, almost over-familiar plays by Shaw and it does seem the odd one out but when it's done this well, it's like an alternative panto so perfect seasonal fare, too.

[londonpostie]

Agreed, so much fun and a perfect way to start the new year

Richmond station was completely shut - no tube, no overground and obv. no trains. Turns out the tube uses network rail track (and/or signalling) between Richmond and Hammersmith so do check if going this week.

Look forward now to what the new AD will bring ..

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

Thanks for the info on the rail strikes, I was hoping to see this Thursday but I won't be doing that any more since it would mean 2 hours minimum across 3 different buses just to get there. I could see it next week instead but I've actually just noticed they're live streaming this (which may have been mentioned earlier in the thread, apologies if so) and that's a lot simpler since the journey is bad enough without the effects of the rail strikes. So just thought I'd point that out for those who may have wanted to see this but can't make it before it closes and, like me, missed the option (it'll be streamed from the 17th to the 20th fyi).

[mkb]

I feared this would be triggering but instead it proved cathartic.

As a 15-year-old, I studied Arms and the Man for O-Level English Literature, and my communist English teacher Mr Godden decided to stage a school production. Interested students could apply. I boldly stated I wanted to play Captain Bluntschli. With no opposition, and too kind to say this was a terrible idea, Mr Godden gave me the role.

The upside was that I could quote the script verbatim and scored an A grade in my exam; the downside was that I discovered I was not cut out to be anyone other than myself, and forty years later, I still have nightmares about being in a play where I haven't remembered the words.

So, thanks to the Orange Tree production for making me realise that, while I was truly awful, everyone else was just as bad. For this version is as good as it gets. The whole cast excel, putting a spin on the various characters that is a world away from our poor efforts. Seeing what can be made of the other roles, I think I probably wasn't the worst after all of our cast.

This is a difficult play to pull off. I believe we did it quite seriously, which is a mistake. It's not a farce either. It's a satire, that's quite funny, but with deadly serious intent. Director Paul Miller has it pitch perfect, with his ridiculous caricatures mocking the futility of "higher love", hero-worship, nobility and subservience in favour of something altogether more socialist.

Stealing the piece is Alex Bhat as a magnificent Sergius Soranoff, all hammed-up romantic pretence but hiding a longing for earthy reality. In contrast, Alex Waldmann's Bluntschli is a typically efficient Swiss achieving romantic ideals.

The in-the-round staging of the Orange Tree permits only a minimalistic set design that puts Shaw's dialogue front and centre. This was my first visit here, and hopefully not my last.

And how utterly marvellous to have a traditional three-act play with two proper intervals in which to discuss and savour proceedings. What a joyous delight!

Four stars. (Very nearly five in fact.)

Act 1: 19:37-20:11
Act 2: 20:28-21:04
Act 3: 21:22-22:17