Lifestyle Editor Kitty Howie talks us through the highs and lows of EUTCo’s big production, ultimately a triumph.
The University’s presence has really been felt within the Northcott this term. After the success of Copacabana, it was soon time for EUTCo to follow suit and prove their prowess.
You can’t knock Director Josh Lucas for his ambition and confidence. Choosing to direct Amadeus, where there’s as much emphasis on the music of the characters as there is on their acting, definitely required balls. Throw into the mix the fact you have to work to a budget, present the show for four consecutive nights to a highly expectant audience and maintain the prestige that EUTCo and the Northcott carry, and you’ve certainly not got an easy walk in the park!
Told from the view point of an ageing Salieri, renowned composer and (hugely jealous) competitor of Mozart, the play charts how the perception and conception of Mozart and his music was subject to Salieri’s dominant influence. With his integrity and popularity put in danger as a result of Mozart’s brilliance, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that over the course of the production, Salieri inevitably seeks to bring down Mozart and alleviate the threat he represents.
The visual exclusion of Mozart on the stage from other characters, especially when combined with audible blasts of his most famous pieces, succinctly conveyed the plot’s complex motive of expressing that Mozart hasn’t always been considered the genius that he is today.
However, disappointingly, I feel this potent combination had more potential and could have been better. Perhaps it was second night blues and bloopers, but sometimes it was a challenge to hear the actors above the accompanying music. Thankfully these tech hiccups were mostly sorted by the second half.
The inclusion of a live orchestra and a choir should be applauded, but I couldn’t help but feel they needed more rehearsal time – particularly frustrating if you can’t hear the action on stage too.
The orchestra didn’t play the whole time, in fact for the most part the tech crew piped in a pre-recording. Not only was this a weird mix, but playing a professional recording alongside the orchestra’s efforts only seemed to make their timing issues more obvious. I feel the production would have been better if a more rigid decision had been made – either the band or the CD, but not both.
Nevertheless, in spite of these technical hiccups, the strength of the principal actors proudly carried the production and held it high.
George Watkins brilliantly metamorphosed between aged, wheelchair-restricted Salieri and the youthful Salieri determined to ruin Mozart. He mastered his longer speeches. I haven’t seen a production of Amadeus before, but I found that Watkins’s treatment of the psychological implications of his actions was particularly resonant, reminding me of Burton’s portrayal of Dysart, another principal Shaffer character from Equus.
As the main man Mozart himself, Ryan Whittle was instantly likeable. His endearing laugh was a joy that let us enjoy his character as much as he did.
The depth of Felicity Gardener Cant’s Constanze was of a high standard and equally effective throughout the production.
Stage management and props were another triumph, both used cleverly and effectively to maximise the dramatic space. In particular, the wheelchair and simple blanket used to signal the aged Salieri carried emotional depth.The system of waiters / servants who carried however many chairs (from the well loved Bowling Green – did you recognise them?) on and off the stage however many times was slick and professional.
Without scenery, flashes and darts of colour came from the costuming, which was also to a high standard.
Speaking exclusively to Exeposé, assistant producer Timothy Bradbeer said of the experience, “It was a bumpy ride trying to costume everyone – keeping to the budget was a real challenge at times!”
However, when asked whether the stress was all worth it and if he was proud of the show, he beamed and said, “Of course! As soon as the audience hear the first two chords blast out at the beginning of the show where the cast waltz on, it’s all worth it.”
I certainly agree. Staging Amadeus was always going to be challenging, but EUTCo can be assured that their big production was a success.
exeposedev 