The Lady With A Dog - Tabard Theatre

[joem]

Very liberally "adapted" by Mark Gissier, who also directs, from Chekhov's story - in my view this should be billed as "inspired by" or "after" Chekhov. Rather than turn of the century Yalta this has been transposed to 1920's north Berwick (really?) as the seaside resort with the rest of the action occurring in Wiltshire and London.

Grouse over, the play comes across as very slick, with elegant dialogue and a real rapport between the errant lovers: bored young housewife Anne (Beth Burrows) and older City banker Damian (Richard Lynson). The pair pitch this finely somewhere between "Private Lives" and "Brief Encounter". What makes this, in my view, a totally different story to the Chekhov original is the baleful influence cast by the Great War - Damian fought in the trenches whilst Anne's boring husband Carl (Duncan Macinnes) had a cushy office billet and calls an eye-infection which he blames on garlic in the Gallic atmosphere his "war-wound". Elaine (Laura Glover), Damian's embittered wife, rounds off the cast.

I'm afraid Lily the Pomeranian dog doesn't make a tangible appearance although the actors make a good job of interacting with its invisible self. Good staging, with Mediterranean looking backdrops and an enthusiastically appreciative audience which made its feelings known (on occasions) quite audibly. A treat to watch.

[Jan]

Apr 4, 2018 22:04:24 GMT joem said:

Very liberally "adapted" by Mark Gissier, who also directs, from Chekhov's story - in my view this should be billed as "inspired by" or "after" Chekhov. Rather than turn of the century Yalta this has been transposed to 1920's north Berwick (really?) as the seaside resort with the rest of the action occurring in Wiltshire and London.

Grouse over, the play comes across as very slick, with elegant dialogue and a real rapport between the errant lovers: bored young housewife Anne (Beth Burrows) and older City banker Damian (Richard Lynson). The pair pitch this finely somewhere between "Private Lives" and "Brief Encounter". What makes this, in my view, a totally different story to the Chekhov original is the baleful influence cast by the Great War - Damian fought in the trenches whilst Anne's boring husband Carl (Duncan Macinnes) had a cushy office billet and calls an eye-infection which he blames on garlic in the Gallic atmosphere his "war-wound". Elaine (Laura Glover), Damian's embittered wife, rounds off the cast.

I'm afraid Lily the Pomeranian dog doesn't make a tangible appearance although the actors make a good job of interacting with its invisible self. Good staging, with Mediterranean looking backdrops and an enthusiastically appreciative audience which made its feelings known (on occasions) quite audibly. A treat to watch.

I was in two minds about seeing this at the White Bear but based on your review I'll take a look at the Tabard transfer which is a bit more convenient for me. 

[showgirl]

I don't mind travelling out to the Tabard if the production is worth it but seriously, am I the only person who finds their seats the most uncomfortable in the UK? They are small, cramped, rigid and wooden (like ex church pews) and are painful from the start, never mind some way into a play.

[joem]

Apr 7, 2018 3:36:41 GMT showgirl said:

I don't mind travelling out to the Tabard if the production is worth it but seriously, am I the only person who finds their seats the most uncomfortable in the UK? They are small, cramped, rigid and wooden (like ex church pews) and are painful from the start, never mind some way into a play.

As seats the Barons Court Theatre's collapsed cinema seats probably just shade it. In terms of legroom there are a number of West End theatres worse than the Tabard.

[Jan]

Apr 7, 2018 9:47:30 GMT joem said:

Apr 7, 2018 3:36:41 GMT showgirl said:

I don't mind travelling out to the Tabard if the production is worth it but seriously, am I the only person who finds their seats the most uncomfortable in the UK? They are small, cramped, rigid and wooden (like ex church pews) and are painful from the start, never mind some way into a play.

As seats the Barons Court Theatre's collapsed cinema seats probably just shade it. In terms of legroom there are a number of West End theatres worse than the Tabard.

Amongst fringe venues Jermyn Street went from absolutely the worst seats to the best after their refurbishment. 

[Jan]

Good news: the seats are excellent, comfortable, individually numbered, and good legroom. Much better than being on the bench at the Finborough

Bad news: Didn’t think much of this. The adaptation was not much to do with Chekhov and was over-ambitious, over-written and over-long (by at least an hour - there’s barely enough there for a one act play). Also a minor irritation, if it’s supposed to be 1920 why do they all use 2018 American idioms when they speak ? The actors made the best of the weak material. If the writer hadn’t also been the director maybe the necessary cuts would have been made.