For any director, the mere mention of Bertolt Brecht sends a shiver down their spine; so I don’t doubt that Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, described by the Telegraph’s Charles Spencer as a “dramatic dud”, had first-time director Zac Price shaking all over.
The play, written in only 3 weeks in 1941, is a scathing, satirical parable depicting Hitler’s rise to power in the form of a 1930s Chicago gangster. Anyone who did History GCSE will be able to instantly recognise the parodies of real historical events in the play such as the Reichstag Fire and the Night of the Long Knives. In basic terms however, the play tells the story of the lost and hopeless people of Chicago in the midst of the Great Depression turning to an ambitious, ruthless and yet charming leader to protect them from the rising crime.
EUTCO (Exeter University Theatre Company) opened the play with a great use of the theatre space by projecting a short film onto the sides of the Northcott’s auditorium. The film blended real life shots of Hitler and Nazi Germany with EUTCO’s own creations, which immediately hinted at Zac Price’s decision to give the play a “film noir” style. As the curtain rose onto a dark, smoky stage and the live jazz band began to play I couldn’t help but feel I would see Humphrey Bogart himself entering stage right. Through the minimal sets and costume, the wonderfully elegant band and a great use of lighting, Price managed the perfect balance of film-noir, gangster style with the gritty, politically-driven themes of Brechtian theatre.
One unusual element of this production is its comedy. Whilst you may question why a play charting Hitler’s ascent to power should contain any comedy at all, its dark humour is in fact one of its greatest qualities and the cast and crew should be applauded for addressing this in such a skilful manner. From Ui’s impromptu goose step to Liam Desborough’s entertaining portrayal of Dogsborough’s dopey and dithering son, the comedic elements were just enough to keep the audience comfortable in the atmosphere of an otherwise chilling story. James Bailey must be particularly noted in his comic timing – he had the audience in stitches with a simple snigger and yet acted the more serious moments with a wonderful intensity and eerie charm.
It is to the credit of the cast and crew that I can find very few criticisms, however, I felt that the projected placards on the walls of the theatre at the beginning of each scene were a little lost. Only half way through the first act did I notice this occurrence in my peripheral vision. Having seen them, I was intrigued to see that they introduced each scene with a description of the actual historical event that the scene related to. Although it may be unintentional I thought this was a great nod to the recent production of Brecht’s Mother Courage and his Children at the National Theatre. It was slightly disappointing therefore, that this attention to detail was literally peripheral to the show.
Whilst the first act seemed a little slow to begin with – a couple of scenes appeared a little over-rehearsed – the cast really shone in the ensemble scenes which helped to quicken the pace of the show. Clearly bouncing off each other, the rhythm and power of these scenes were captivating and allowed the cast to demonstrate how well they worked together.
Whilst each actor in this production deserves praise, a few cast members stood out for their brilliant characterisation, movement and engagement with the audience as well as other cast members. Hannah Dunne’s impeccable accent added to her brilliant command of the stage. I felt myself sit up a little straighter in my seat when she addressed the audience in the ensemble scenes – her speeches were not to be missed.
If someone had told me Dogsborough had been played by an 80 year old, Chicago-born landowner I would have believed them instantly – Luke Theobald’s depiction of Brecht’s Hindenburg counterpart was flawless.
Joe McDonnell effortlessly portrayed a sly and disturbing Givola whilst Tom Chapman played a compelling second-in-command – strong, imposing and dynamic in his movement and speech.
Last but most certainly not least is Nicholas Limm (a recent Campus Celeb) who rose to the challenge of depicting a character whose attributes are inspired by multiple super-villains. From the moment he appeared on stage, to his final commanding speech Limm displayed a magnetic yet spine-chilling charm. He had clearly researched his role in depth as the character’s persuasive, deadly charisma as well as his ruthless, menacing ambition came across brilliantly in his gravelly voice and unsettlingly accurate Hitler-esque movements. For those who saw the production, the Brutus speech will stand out as a highlight of his performance; the chill that fell over the audience whilst watching his monstrous tirade was followed swiftly by applause for Limm.
Her Campus caught up with Nicholas again to see how he felt it all went. “People seemed to enjoy it a lot so that’s very rewarding. We all worked very hard, and over the run we bonded so much as a team so it’s wonderful to hear so many people giving us positive feedback.” The cast’s tight bond he spoke of was evident in the show and one of their greatest strengths. I was pleased to see his character hadn’t rubbed off on him in any way when he graciously added “Thanks to everyone who supported the show!”
For those who didn’t see the show, perhaps reading this review will encourage them to keep an eye out for what EUTCO has in store for the future. As I flick through the programme and see that many of the cast and crew are third year students, I can’t help but think that perhaps the next time we see them they’ll be treading the boards on a slightly larger stage than the Northcott. Watch this space.
See Nicholas Limm’s Campus Celebrity article here: http://www.hercampus.com/school/exeter/nicholas-limm