The Stables Theatre and Arts Centre
The Bourne, Hastings
East Sussex TN34 3BD
01424 423221
The Bourne, Hastings
East Sussex TN34 3BD
01424 423221
An Ideal Husband
By Oscar Wilde
A Stables Theatre production
Directed by Ann Harpur
16–24 November 2007
Reviewed by Julie Tucker-Williams
By Oscar Wilde
A Stables Theatre production
Directed by Ann Harpur
16–24 November 2007
Reviewed by Julie Tucker-Williams
Playing to sell out audiences, Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband was billed as a glamorous and glittering occasion to celebrate the Stables’ 500th production. And this was a show that more than lived up to the pressure of such high expectations. Drawing on the talents of experienced Stables actors and one of the theatre’s leading directors, Ann Harpur, we were treated to an evening of Wilde’s wit and wisdom, as human frailty and social hypocrisy were laid bare. Blackmail, corruption, romance and fun all surfaced from the dazzling first-scene party to the eventual Wildean resolution.
The leading protagonists, Lord Chiltern (Duncan Brown), Lord Goring (Mark Pelham), Lady Chiltern (Janet Tachauer) and Mrs Cheveley (Maxine Roach), all provided beautifully controlled and contrasting characters. Mark Pelham as Lord Goring gave a particularly satisfying performance of foppish disdain and conceit, while at the same time giving us glimpses of his compassion, loyalty and sense of natural justice. This was Oscar Wilde at his best with actors able to make the playwright’s lines work.
But this was not a show where principal characters stole the limelight. Numerous supporting and cameo roles frequently usurped centre stage to highlight Wilde’s tension between the serious and satirical. Jacqueline Brooman’s portrayal of Lady Markby, for instance, was a masterful delivery of Wilde’s style and rhythm.
High standards characterized this show across many areas of production. Whether it was individual performances, music, costumes or general staging, the show excelled. Even the scene changes were highly choreographed pieces of action, in keeping with the overall style of the piece. Costumes were outstanding in their sparkling quality and quantity, providing a fabulous sense of wealth, elegance and, that word again, style. With such outfits filling the stage, the simple yet beautiful set was the perfect space in which we could absorb the full visual impact of these magnificent costumes.
What shone through this play was the mark of a strong director with a clear vision for the whole production and with the ability to ensure that vision was achieved. Well done and thank you to Ann Harpur and her team for a truly fitting show to mark the Stables’ 500th production.
The leading protagonists, Lord Chiltern (Duncan Brown), Lord Goring (Mark Pelham), Lady Chiltern (Janet Tachauer) and Mrs Cheveley (Maxine Roach), all provided beautifully controlled and contrasting characters. Mark Pelham as Lord Goring gave a particularly satisfying performance of foppish disdain and conceit, while at the same time giving us glimpses of his compassion, loyalty and sense of natural justice. This was Oscar Wilde at his best with actors able to make the playwright’s lines work.
But this was not a show where principal characters stole the limelight. Numerous supporting and cameo roles frequently usurped centre stage to highlight Wilde’s tension between the serious and satirical. Jacqueline Brooman’s portrayal of Lady Markby, for instance, was a masterful delivery of Wilde’s style and rhythm.
High standards characterized this show across many areas of production. Whether it was individual performances, music, costumes or general staging, the show excelled. Even the scene changes were highly choreographed pieces of action, in keeping with the overall style of the piece. Costumes were outstanding in their sparkling quality and quantity, providing a fabulous sense of wealth, elegance and, that word again, style. With such outfits filling the stage, the simple yet beautiful set was the perfect space in which we could absorb the full visual impact of these magnificent costumes.
What shone through this play was the mark of a strong director with a clear vision for the whole production and with the ability to ensure that vision was achieved. Well done and thank you to Ann Harpur and her team for a truly fitting show to mark the Stables’ 500th production.
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Photographs > www.artypharty.com
A selection of production photographs from the 1950s to the present is available at our photographer Peter Mould’s website.
A selection of production photographs from the 1950s to the present is available at our photographer Peter Mould’s website.
