Quays Theatre, The Lowry, Manchester – until Saturday 20 May. Reviewed by Julie Noller
You could be forgiven in assuming that because La Strada was being performed on a smaller stage within The Lowry that it wouldn’t be a polished performance, well it was more than polished it was totally watchable (I may even say awesome). I like The Quays Theatre, it may be the smaller stage but it has character and you always feel part of a small group brought together for enjoyment.
The stage set up looked drab and grey fitting perfectly with the oppressive feel of the whole play. Lighting was used to perfection cleverly designed by Aideen Malone, one stand out piece is the motorbike headlight as it scans through the night catching the audience its hard to decide if I felt like a rabbit caught in headlights or rather part of a facist ragime interrogation.
Fellinis 1954 film of the same title is well known, however I must own up and confess to not having watched it – sadly. I was impressed with Sally Cooksons direction on stage. I was lost in its story of humanity. I do believe that my interpretation of what I watched to be unique to me, you may see and feel entirely different aspects for that is the desired effect.
I loved the beginning how the ensemble gave the appearance of a collective yet as individuals. I felt like I was back at school watching a travelling theatre company perform a very personal show just for my class. But they are right, the ensemble, it is a story that transcends time itself, it is happening now, it happened ten thousand years ago, it will happen tomorrow.
You watch the story unfolding yet you don’t judge any character, La Strada highlights many things, social weaknesses, poverty, malnutrition, deprivation. Life is full of sadness and vulnerability.
Each character perfectly entwines the next cleverly highlighting a different aspect of life itself. Gelsomina portrayed with great understanding by Audrey Bisson, is vulnerable and yet a character of great strength. There are subtle clues into her own life and personality, is she autistic in a time where autism wasn’t accepted or even existed? She doesn’t like noise and hums to herself to remain calm. Sounds and lights and textures play an important part be it the rose petals released by The Fool or watching the band play. There is humour yet there is always the haunting melody of Gelsominas tune – we associate that music with Gelsomina when we hear it, only hummed by Gelsomina herself until sadly at the end when we hear a stranger hum it, whilst cleverly tieing loose ends together and bringing the tale to a close.
Stuart Goodwin as our yorkshire accented strongman must have included every stereotypye of the time, a temper, bloodyminded, drinker. He is a bully yet he’s a victim of circumstance, remember how people throughout history react to deprivation and poverty. They drink to forget, they party when they can, try to be with likeminded people, seek out company or speciafically sex to replace the lack of love and compassion in their lives. It was fantastic to see this deeply unemotional man towards the end show a vulnerable side, to see how deeply Gelsomina affected his life.
My favourite character has to be Il Matto – The Fool, reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin’s Tramp he brings light relief to what is potentially a highly charged play of deep emotions, I wasn’t expecting to feel close to tears or to want a character to succeed in life as much as I did. Is his character another one of lifes lessons? Fools do not survive? Or was it a case of here is a fool with so much knowledge of life? I feel if I watch La Strada again I will gain another insight. His purpose is a basic one to show how life could be, hes poor yet happy. He aims to bring Gelsomina out of her oppressive lifestyle to remember her freewill, to be happy. Ultimately he succeeds but not before paying the ultimate price. Congratulations on the amazing circus skills, very impressive and as my friend commented La Strada is not just a ticket to see a play you get a circus thrown in too.
The music throughout again brings to mind poverty and how important music is in uplifting our souls. Original music is by Benji Bower and I have to say we have songs in English, French and Italian each song has great meaning to plays an important part in story telling, deprivation is not unique to one nation.
I enjoyed La Strada and would consider taking my teens to watch it. It’s a striking piece of theatre that shows such a fantastic understanding of humanity. I can’t praise it highly enough. If you enjoy cheering on the underdog be warned it doesn’t have a Hollywood happy ending. But it does allow your mind to drift afterwards to alternate endings and what ifs lifestyles.