“One can go a long way in the theatre with an open mouth”
The pop-up space created on the grounds of Chichester
Festival Theatre to help celebrate its 50
th anniversary is a curious
thing, Named Theatre on the Fly and constructed solely from recycled material,
its rough edges and unreserved bench seating speaks of its temporary nature but
the introduction of a fully operational fly tower, whose machinery is laid bare
for all to see, has a certain elegance about it. And it forms the ideal
backdrop for April De Angelis’ play
Playhouse Creatures which is set in, and
backstage at, a seventeenth century theatre.
Specifically, it takes place during the Restoration. Puritanism
has ended and the theatres reopened and for the first time, women are allowed
on the stage. But as we follow a group of pioneering actresses in a working
company, we see the struggles, compromises and stark realities they are faced
with, in this exceedingly hard-hitting environment which they bear variously
with grace, bawdiness, calculated drive and an ultimate equanimity that this is
a tough world for a woman.
De Angelis hits on a real truth here and it is sadly as true
now as it was then. Whilst embracing the progress made in women finally being
allowed on the stage, grande dame of the group Mary Betterton bemoans the
paucity of decent roles for older women that it exposes, she longs to play Lady
M but then what lies after that. And in the playing of the role, one can
imagine Alexandra Gilbreath asking the same question. Having dazzled us with her
Hermione, her Olivia and her Emilia, and teased us with a scintillating “out,
out, damn’d spot…” which simply demands she be cast in the Scottish Play pretty
sharpish, where are the parts for her to progress onto to really test her, the
types of roles that will see her male counterparts elevated to hallowed
ground.
The play also follows other difficulties faced by women in
the theatre, some more specific to the time. Fiona Hampton’s sharp Elizabeth
Farley is determined to catch the eye of a wealthy gentleman but when a liaison
leaves her expecting, she falls foul of the law that makes it illegal for a
pregnant woman to appear on the stage and falls horrifyingly fast and hard.
Rebecca Marshall is determined to secure her independence as an actress and
spearheads a campaign to make women shareholders in the theatre and to have
more female playwrights. Kirsty Besterman brings her to life with a lovely sense
of self-confidence and idealism but she’s never allowed to forget she’s
operating in a man’s world. And Susan Tracy’s Doll Common, watching over all as
she sweeps and cleans around them but representative of the repressed
generation before.
But though serious issues lie at the heart of Playhouse
Creatures, there’s an irrepressible sense of humour about the whole enterprise
that ensures it never becomes too heavy-going. Scenes of Restoration comedies
are interspersed throughout which offer an amusing insight into the types of
roles women were given, Gilbreath’s Betterton gives a hilarious masterclass in
acting technique which uses times of the clock and there’s lots of earthy
language and frankness about the breast-baring that is expected of them all. Epitomising
this latter point is Nell Gwyn, a barmaid who forced her way into the theatre
and then parlayed that fame into becoming one of the King’s most powerful
mistresses. Charlotte Beaumont brings a perkily effervescent energy which is
hugely amusing but it isn’t always abundantly clear what point De Angelis is
trying to make by having Gwyn so central, as someone who considered the theatre
as a stepping stone to other things rather than focusing on the greater
artistic integrity, and theatrical impulses, of the others.
There’s a great marriage of material and venue here, Andrew
D Edwards’ design neatly drops in painted backdrops and Richard Howell’s
lighting works well with the fading natural light that seeps through the walls.
And a mostly strong cast, led by Alexandra Gilbreath’s at times extraordinary
performance, take us through an interesting period of history whose parallels
to the state of play in the gender balance in contemporary theatres are all too
strong. It is just a shame that De Angelis errs closer to historical biopic as
her play progresses rather than exploring these issues more dramatically.
Running time: 2 hours
5 minutes (with interval)
Booking until 11th August
Labels: Alexandra Gilbreath, April De Angelis, Charlotte Beaumont, Fiona Hampton, Kirsty Besterman, Susan Tracy