By Aashiq
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I used to love this play. I loved Henrik Ibsen’s
presentation of mental health problems. I thought Oswald had some sort of
neurological problem that affected his mental health and eventually led to
insanity. Then I grew up a bit and realised that the play was actually about
venereal disease and that the neurological problems were a result of the
physical problems, and the mental health problems were what anyone would feel
in that situation. So I went off it a little bit, not so much because of the
subject matter but because it wasn’t the play I thought it was. I loved the
idea of the ‘worm-eaten’ mind. That is exactly how mental health can be. Negative
thoughts burrow their way into your brain and eat it from the inside out…
actually, I won’t continue this totally gross metaphor, but I’m sure you get
the idea.
Oswald didn’t get the disease from his father, though. I don’t think that’s possible unless his father was sexually abusing him. His father could have given it to his mother, who then passed it to her unborn child, but she has no symptoms. But the personality traits that led to his contracting the disease could have been inherited from the father. If I wasn’t an actor, I’d have liked to be a doctor. Or I would if I wasn’t so squeamish about maths. I mean, I know you need to count to thirty for CPR, but I don’t see why numbers need to go any higher than that. I mean, how much happier would everyone be if they never had to be older than thirty? But I don’t think I could cope with wearing scrubs, they’re just so matchy-matchy. Also, I’d be asking all the patients if my bum looked big and ill people don’t always understand about being polite.
Anyway, the play. I’ve always identified more with the
younger characters, but Richard Eyre’s production (first seen at the Almeida
and filmed following its transfer to Trafalgar Studios) focuses on Helene
Alving, making her almost the only good person, surrounded by depravity on all
sides – and it works. Eyre doesn’t shy away from the darker side of the play, allowing
Oswald to show his suffering to its fullest extent. Designer Tim Hatley’s set
was less grand than I expected and rather cluttered, but the first impression
is one of beauty and you have to look quite closely to realise it’s not that
impressive. It’s a reflection of the life Mrs Alving tries to create for Oswald
– a life which seems better than it is and hides many imperfections – and perhaps
also a hint that Oswald might have got his artistic tendencies from his mother.
Lesley Manville is excellent as Mrs Alving – an intelligent
woman who hides her vulnerabilities because society demands it (perhaps an
older version of Nora in A Doll’s House?). She suffers movingly and
convincingly, but it’s her strength and dignity that stand out. Though I’m not
quite sure what she sees in Adam Kotz’s judgemental, hypocritical Pastor
Manders. It’s a great performance, but not one that made me feel any particular
sympathy for the character.
Jack Lowden is a languid and rather whiny Oswald, rude to
Pastor Manders (though the insufferable man does deserve it) and focusing
mainly on his own pleasure, which is probably what landed him in the mess in
the first place. Not the most admirable human being, but you wouldn’t wish what
happens to him on anyone. Charlene McKenna is a pert Regina and while Brian
McCardle’s Engstrand seems dangerous, there’s no doubting the earnestness of
his ideas. He’s not trapped in the lies he told to hide an unpalatable truth.
Or… not yet.
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