The Welkin at The Lyttleton

Two great productions in quick succession but completely different.  But isn’t that what theatre is all about?

My second theatre trip in ten days was to The National’s Lyttleton to see Lucy Kirkwood’s new play, The Welkin.  Maybe it’s because I’m female and this play has fourteen female (fifteen if you include a child) characters and two token males that I enjoyed it so much?  That could have something to do with it, especially as one of the male characters isn’t allowed to speak during the majority of the play!  But it’s not the extent of it.  Lucy Kirkwood has the ability to tell a bloody good yarn and this play, which on the face of it, could be a gruelling two-and-a-bit hours, is, in fact a hugely entertaining tale.  A tale that highlights a poor woman’s existence all those years ago, but also gets us wondering whether for certain women today that existence has changed all that much.

The Welkin (an archaic word for sky or heavens) takes place in 1759, the year of Halley’s Comet, in a village on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. The drama centres around young Sally Poppy (Ria Zmitrowicz) who has been found guilty, with her lover, of murdering the eleven-year-old daughter of a rich local family.  In court she claimed to be pregnant and the only way she can escape the hangman’s noose is for this to be true.  It’s left for a jury of twelve matrons to decide whether or not this is the case.  Holed up in a room in the courthouse, overseen by the silent Mr Coombes (he is forbidden by law to speak to the women) they have to come to a decision and the only woman prepared to defend her is midwife, Elizabeth Luke played by Maxine Peake.

The play opens with the twelve women silhouetted in twelve square boxes of light, repeatedly carrying out their dull, back breaking household tasks, be it washing clothes, sewing linen or tending to children.  Designed by the talented Bunny Christie, these boxes and their inhabitants resemble an old Dutch painting and highlight the mundane existence of each and every woman.  No-one speaks, we just hear the noise of their labours and we’re in no doubt that the daily grind of these rural women is relentless.  Their summoning to court means some respite, although the male powers that be have a rule. The women will be refused food, drink and warmth whilst locked in the jury room, hopefully ensuring that they come to their decision quickly.

Lucy Kirkwood has given each juror their own particular voice, from the wonderful Cecilia Noble’s disapproving Emma, to the “nice but dim” Peg, hilariously played by Ayesha Kala whose main worry is getting her leeks planted.  Judith Brewer (Jenny Galloway) is suffering from hot flushes, whilst Helen Ludlow (Wendy Kweh) is barren. Haydn Gwynne is cast as Charlotte Cary, the well-spoken colonel’s widow and the only non-resident of the parish who is nominally put in charge.  Maxine Peake as the feminist Elizabeth is the voice of reason, often trying to make herself heard against the constant bickering and clashing of opinions.  She rails against the patriarchy and is incensed when the matrons think that having Sally examined by a male doctor is a good idea.  Meanwhile the accused keeps up a belligerent rant, entirely unrepentant of her crime and lashing out at everyone like a wild dog.  A motley crew, indeed, but with dialogue and opinions on a woman’s lot so well drawn that we laugh out loud and, all too often, find totally relatable.

The ensemble cast are all excellent.  Despite having the tricky part of playing the most earnest member of the jury, Maxine Peake does her usual excellent job of drawing us in and eliciting true emotion.  She is an extraordinary actress.  Ria Zmitrowicz, too, can’t be praised too highly.  Totally uninhibited, she has no worries that Sally has very few, if any, redeeming qualities.      

The one drawback is that the broad Norfolk accent the majority of the cast use is at times incomprehensible. This is especially true when Sally’s anger reaches its peak.  As a result, I did stumble over some key plot pointers.

The play may be “women heavy” but it’s James Macdonald as Director who is responsible for keeping the story continually captivating.  Although it doesn’t appear to be everyone’s cup of tea, for me, The Welkin is totally compelling and, at times, extremely funny.

Uncle Vanya at The Harold Pinter Theatre

There is much discussion as to whether or not Anton Chekhov’s full-length plays are comedies or tragedies.  A new adaptation of Uncle Vanya by the brilliant Conor McPherson, currently playing at The Harold Pinter Theatre, leaves us in no doubt that this particular play can be downright hilarious. Having Toby Jones and his exquisite timing in the title role helps.  Plus the fact that Ian Rickson directs. This version of the play about foolish characters living in their own little worlds, to the exclusion of all others, is laugh out loud funny, even if the laughter it elicits is often poignant and deeply felt.  McPherson is so adept at stripping back without taking away and this Uncle Vanya is much more accessible than most. Despite the Irishman’s use of contemporary language, Chekhov’s poetry still shines through and the odd swear word and use of slang never grates.

The scene is set right from the start thanks to Rae Smith’s perfectly realised plant encroaching drawing room on a crumbling country estate.  The estate has been satisfactorily run by Vanya and his niece Sonya (the excellent Aimee Lou Wood) but the arrival of her father, Professor Serebryakov (Ciaran Hinds) and his beautiful, but restless, new wife, Yelena (Rosalind Eleazar), has upset the apple cart. Vanya resents the professor, who was married to his late sister, and is totally smitten by Yelena.  He’s not the only one.  Regular visitor, Doctor Astrov (Richard Armitage) has also fallen under her spell, which is particularly upsetting for poor Sonya who is madly in love with him herself.  Unfortunately for her, he has no such feelings and there is a heart-breaking moment when he avoids the kiss she tries to deliver.  Thus the scene is set for trials and tribulations, exacerbated when Serebryakov announces his intention to sell the estate.

Although the laughter abounds, it’s not at the expense of the various characters’ emotions.  Yelena’s discontent and realisation that her marriage to a much older man was a tremendous mistake is keenly felt, thanks to Rosalind Eleazar’s subtle performance.  The scene where Serebryakov stops her piano playing is especially well handled.  Richard Armitage’s Astrov is suitably self- obsessed, whilst Ciaran Hinds’s ability to portray pomposity is put to full use.  Peter Wight, too, who never delivers a mediocre performance is the perfect old retainer Telegin as is Anna Calder-Marshall as Nana. 

But, it’s Toby Jones and Aimee Lou Wood who shine brightest.  I have to admit, that, apart from the fact that Conor McPherson has done the adaptation, it was the casting of Jones in the title role that prompted me to buy tickets back in September.  His lightness of touch and comedic skills make for a totally believable Vanya.  Everything that happens to this man suffering an existential crisis is perfectly feasible in his capable hands and he is irritating, pathetic and lovable in equal measure. It’s all done without a bucket load of sentiment, but you totally feel his longing and capability for deep emotions.   Likewise, Aimee Lou Wood is so good at portraying a lovelorn young girl and it’s all credit to her that her speech at the end of the play is touching rather than sentimentality over the top. 

As you may have gathered, this Uncle Vanya surpasses any others I have seen.  If you’re a lover of Chekhov, and even if you’re not, it’s a great night at the theatre.