4 STARS
Not knowing the plot of The Duchess of Malfi prior to the performance, I was doubtful as to whether I’d be able to follow the events of the play completely; Shakespearian language and hundreds of characters (or what seemed like it anyway) with almost identical names was sure to be a quite overwhelming, and so I was uncertain as to whether I’d enjoy the production. However, any doubts I may have had were immediately cast aside: from the moment the audience was plunged into darkness, the gripping drama began to unfold
The first half succeeded in building tension throughout, leaving the audience on edge and anticipating the bloody violence sure to come, which overshadowed even the most compassionate scenes. Although at first unconvinced by Jamie Satterthwaite’s performance as Antonio, as we saw the development of the relationship between him and the Duchess (acted brilliantly by Beatriz Romilly) I found myself rooting for them both to avoid misfortune and was genuinely moved by the playful flirting and tender kissing in a scene in the Duchess’ chamber.
Moments like this were contrasted with the truly terrifying. The Duchess’ brother, Ferdinand (played by a frenzied Chris Jared), ambushed his sister by leaping onto her bed, sword in hand, when only moments before she had embraced her lover. This chillingly reflected the power of a patriarchal society, which ultimately contributes to the Duchess’ downfall, as her brothers seek to control her every move.
For me, the beginning of the second half lost some of its power. The crude portrayal of the ‘madmen’ in the prison scene added nothing to production and Bosola (played adeptly by Matthew Wait) dressed as a Halloween style Grim Reaper dispelled any of the sinister undertones of the previous acts. However, these farcical moments were the only ones, as the following murders were convincing and difficult to watch.
The pile up of bloody bodies in the closing seen was grizzly but also comical, eliciting plenty of laughs from the audience. Seeing the once puppet master cardinal reduced to a quivering wreck in his underpants without the covering of his crimson robe seemed fitting revenge for his malevolent actions during the play.
Overall it was a strong performance, well-acted with a simple but effective set, subtle and atmospheric sound and fully absorbing drama. I would thoroughly recommend going to see this adaptation, although you’ll need a strong stomach…
The Duchess of Malfi is running until the 14th November. For more information on the production:
http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on/drama/the-duchess-of-malfi/
Edited by Naomi Upton