The classic Tom Stoppard play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead has long existed as part of the Hamlet curriculum in the later years of high school, both in Australia and around the world. For me, and many, year 11 was where I first discovered the play, Stoppard and the beauty of the absurd. It’s a play that’s stuck with me as I’ve sought out more of his works – from the recent Rock ‘n’ Roll to the brilliant Travesties (a classic in its own right) – both of which have seen major Sydney productions in the last few years. Stoppard even stopped by the Opera House as part of their conversation series – and you can bet I was there for that. But last night – opening night at Sydney Theatre – was the first time I’d had the pleasure of experiencing a production of Rosencrantz… and quite honestly it was the first time I’d revisited the play since those high school studies some ten years ago.
It goes without saying that no matter how strong the script, of which this is one of the best, a great production is far from a given. Though I come into this review with little to compare it to, and a fuzzy memory at best, it would be hard to argue that director Simon Phillips (now “free of his MTC shackles” as artistic director Andrew Upton put it) hasn’t provided Sydney with a practically perfect production of the classic play, thanks to excellent casting, superb performances and nice touches on behalf of the director and his creative team.
The first of these is in the set – as someone pointed out to us later in the night, you can definitely see where the dollars from your ticket went in the excellent production. The set up is like something out of Willy Wonka, though far more refined and with less colors. It’s an illusion of a never ending room, with three entry points on either side, skillfully hidden lights and an upside down tree hanging over the stage – setting up something that’s almost the opposite of the setup we saw with McKellen and Rees in Godot some years ago. A pointed decision no doubt.
This in mind, the lighting and staging is marvelous from start to finish. Director Simon Phillips has added some ingenious elements to the play through his unique use of the stage – something in itself integral in a play like this – that feel as natural as the casting. I don’t want to spoil them here, as part of the fun of this production in particular is discovering the interpretation the director has delivered, but as much as we can praise these decisions, ultimately it’s the casting and the excellent performances at play that present us such an entertaining and well delivered production.
As the play itself involves two lead characters struggling to come to terms with a lack of self identity, we’d best describe Tim Minchin’s character as “the timid one” and Toby Schmitz’s as “the dominating one”. The two hold the play beautifully, delivering each line with style and skill. They uniquely make it their own, with Minchin playing the timid, slow half with well timed precision and Schmitz delivering the more dominating half with skill, passion and a good deal of gusto. There is a certain charm to Schmitz’s delivery that impresses, showing not only his deep understanding of the play, but his ability to let the character become wholly his own. It’s a beautiful thing to watch Schmitz play with his Rosen/Stern, a skill only a well tuned actor such as he could possess.
It’s not just the leads, either; the supporting cast, some of whom don’t have a single line of dialogue, steal the show in their own right. Ewan Leslie is perfectly cast as The Player and with some of the best lines of the play at his disposal, delivering some of the bigger laughs. Hamlet (Tim Walter) and company are all played over-the-top, and this works well for the piece. Hamlet’s off stage monologues are cleverly staged and the costume of Gertrude (played by Heather Mitchell and pictured below) in particular is stunning – much like the Queen of Hearts from Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. I should take a brief moment to lend acclaim to Gabriela Tylesoba for her excellent set and costume designs. But it’s the silent Alfred, played by George Kemp, who may steal the show in his STC debut. From his makeup and costumes to his Tramp-like delivery, Kemp would have made Chaplin proud.
We all know that even when you have a play as acclaimed as Rosencrantz… (to the point you must digress that it would be hard to “fuck it up”), that doesn’t always mean a good production will result. All in all Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is everything you want it to be and more. It’s everything you remember from your discovery of the play, and something more thanks to the special touches the team have added to their production. Fans of Stoppard won’t be disappointed nor will fans of any of the actors on display. It’s a comedic play like this that only comes around once every few years and it leaves you with that all too rare feeling as you walk out of the theatre: I just saw a really good play. And in the world of the arts, there are few better feelings than that.
Rosencrantz continues at Sydney Theatre through to 14h September 2013. More details here: http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/what’s-on/productions/2013/rosencrantz-and-guildenstern-are-dead.aspx
Photos by Heidrun Lohr.
