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Theatre listings > Anna Karenina. - World Premiere. Dramatist from Tolstoy's original novel - John Clifford. Director - Muriel Romanes. Designer - Francis O'Connor. Lighting Designer - Chris Davey. Composer - Max Richter. Choreographer - Jane Howie. Assistant Director - Jemina Levick. Company - Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, Edinburgh Scotland. Cast - here . Venue - Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, Grindlay St off Lothian Rd to left of Usher Hall.Edinburgh.www.lyceum.org.uk for on line booking 0131 248 4848. Dates - Free preview 18 March at 7:45pm. 19 March - 16 April 2005.Tuesdays - Saturdays at 7.45pm also matinees Wed 23 & 30 March and 6 April at 2:30pm , Sat Mats on 26 March and 2 & 9 April at 2:30pm. Run Time - 2 hours 30 mins including one interval. Reviewer - Thelma Good. The feel of true theatre.
But despite this humane adaptation, in an overall on the mark production we never quite manage to feel Anna's actions deserve happiness. We laugh affectionately though at Oblonsky's unfaithfulness and at Kitty and Levin's starry eyed view of marriage and children. In Anna's husband Karenin's inability to forgive her we feel some sympathy. Perhaps younger audiences might be more moved in their hearts by Raquel Cassidy's Anna but for me her appeal comes through most clearly in her exchanges with Dolly and Levin. Unfortunately between her and Jamie Lee's slightly chocolate soldier flavoured Count Vronsky the passion doesn't flame high enough, so you fail to understand why she succumbed. In truth, though we may not drop divorced people as we did in previous centuries, a woman leaving her child and her husband can find herself frighteningly isolated. Veiwed today Tolstoy's Anna is more anti-heroine than heroine, today's Anna thankfully can at least change her tracks rather than be drawn finally end things on them. The staging suggests a wood panelled room with many doors to the back and sides and birch trees behind, an icon of the Madonna and child hangs above all, a candle burning in front of it. Francis O'Connor's set takes the audience to many locations - we start in Moscow and travel to the legislative capital St Petersburg or to Oblonsky's estate and Levin's place both in an area of deepest Russia where peasants live unrecognised as individuals by their masters. It's a flexible set which suggests everything - elegant ballrooms to Levin's simple house, train carriages, forest clearings, as sections fly out and in. The direction by Muriel Romanes takes on the intersecting scenes and mix of heightened reality so that the pacing never slackens its grip and the actors make full use of the staging. Supporting and never intruding is the music composed especially by Max Ritcher. The costumes are largely restrained in grey, black, brown and white, though beautifully fashioned the only touches of colour coming from the soft green of the ornate bed where two scenes collide - Vronsky's steeplechase race and his intense love making with Anna before she realises how irrevocable the action is that she has taken and later when Anna turns up clothed literally as a scarlet woman. Paul Blair's Oblonsky has the desperation of a man in the wrong while Cara Kelly's Dolly gives looks that indicate she'll make the most of being in the right but not too much. The other couple who come together in the play are Dolly's sister Kitty, played by Louise Collins, and Levin. Collins portrays Kitty's youthful eagerness and delight, though initially she only has eyes for Count Vronsky a man her father calls a swine then the nervy, shy, earnest Levin, captured in Liam Brennan's portrayal, finally convinces her he is still interested in one of the heart moving moments in the play. Kevin McMonagle as Karenin and Kitty's father provides measured performances while Vari Sylvester is noticeably good in a variety of roles. Clifford's handling of Tolstoy's story counterpoises the three couples experiences as the novel does and laces in the background of Russian cities distanced from real labour and the vast agriculturally changing country. It stands up as a play even if you never encounter the novel and feels like one of Chekhov's. Adaptations can often feel like halfway houses - this one has the feel of true theatre - and like most successful adaptations has been very ruthless with the original to make the story in a new way. © Thelma Good 19 March 2005 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Cast: Anna - Raquel Cassidy, Kitty - Louise Collins, Dolly - Cara Kelly, Lady/Vronsky's Mother/ Kitty's Mother/Agatha Mikhailovna/Bezzubova/Dolly's Maid and Midwife - Vari Sylvester, Levin - Liam Brennan, Vronsky - Jamie Lee, Oblonsky/Doctor - Paul Blair, Karenin/Kitty's father - Kevin McMonagle and English Girl - Kirsty Mackay. All other parts played by the cast. Theatre Editor, Thelma Good's e-mail is thelma@edinburghguide.com Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. Theatre listings >
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