A Clockwork Orange - Review

Soho Theatre, London

*****

Written by Anthony Burgess

Directed by Alexandra Spencer-Jones




Martin McCreadie (centre) leads the Ensemble

 

Action To The Word’s production of A Clockwork Orange, has finally exploded onto a London stage. Having seen the work performed at Edinburgh in 2011 and 2012, it remains one of the most remarkably electrifying displays of excellence across a company, both in individual performances and from the ensemble.

Opening with a meticulously choreographed fight ballet set to Beethoven’s 5^th, the production does not flinch from portraying the ultra-violence of Burgess’ novel. No stage blood nor clever trickery are deployed by the actors, rather 9 talented and supremely fit young men throwing themselves and/at each other with a perfection of bone-crunching timing that is as sickening as it is beautiful.  With minimal use of props and extensive use of mime, movement and the most simply suggestive of costumes, scene changes are deftly executed and locations convincingly created ranging from court room to milk bar to prison. When Alex climbs on a table and mimes the opening of a window that he prepares to jump from, the tension created is almost palpable.

Martin McCreadie plays Alex, a droog or young man, evolving from street thug to murderer, and ultimately the subject of the government’s mind-washing Ludovico technique, politically motivated, to “cure” him of his criminality . His is a role requiring total commitment of voice, face and body, onstage throughout the 80 minutes of the play. No green room rests for him, though it is fair to state that the rest of the cast undergo such frequent character changes, that all of them, in one guise or another, are on stage for most of the show’s duration. It is invidious to single out names as without exception all the cast excel, though Philip Honeywell’s harrowing portrayal of a man violated by broken milk bottle, Neil Chinneck’s Dr Brodsky and Stephen Spencer's oleaginous and duplicitous government minister remain as particularly chilling moments from amongst the supporting role call of characters.

More than three years in development and with many of her original cast still in role, Alexandra Spencer-Jones has fashioned her own masterpiece from this modern literary classic and it is a credit to both her and to her company that Methuen have released the lastest re-print of the text ( first published in 1987 ) branded and foreworded with the cast and creative team details of this Soho Theatre production.

Spencer-Jones’ selection of music, that includes snatches of Beethoven’s most recognisable pieces, is modern, eclectic and punchy. Having seen the show twice on the Fringe, where both time and space impose rigid boundaries upon a troupe’s potential, to  witness it on a London stage, in front of a deeply raked audience, and with a stage that offers height and depth and lighting that were simply not available in Edinburgh, as well as a more generous time slot, is to see an already beautiful piece of work simply polished to perfection.

A Clockwork Orange is not for children, nor for the faint-hearted. But if one enjoys chic, stunning, provocative theatre, then this production is not to be missed.

Runs to Saturday 5 January 2013

To read the review of this production at EdFringe 2012 click here

A Clockwork Orange Ed Fringe 2012 - Review

Pleasance Forth , Edinburgh

*****

Written by Anthony Burgess

Directed by Alexandra Spencer-Jones

Martin McCreadie as Alex

Action To The Word return to Edinburgh 2012 with their acclaimed A Clockwork Orange. The company have a deserved reputation for delivering Shakespeare in a manner that is direct and accessible and their working of this 20th century classic remains a highlight of the Fringe.

For this year the company reside in the  slightly larger venue of Pleasance Forth, providing an expanded performance space for their graceful treatment of the book. Burgess' novel, with it's bleak view of Britain in the future and a cityscape dominated by violent youth suggests boots and Doc Martens . That this cast sport ballet pumps throughout emphasises the movement and grotesque beauty of the ultra-violence that they portray.

The creative team behind this production have woven the most amazing piece of theatre from their talented actors. Alexandra Spencer-Jones' direction is perceptive and she reveals the darkness of the story in both broad tableaux of violence,  alongside the most subtle of nuance and characterisation. There is barely a wasted second of any of the performers' time on stage. Spencer-Jones has been ably assisted in the choreography of the piece by Hannah Lee, two women who clearly know how best to direct an all-male cast to tell a story. Fight director Lewis Penfold has portrayed the most violent of acts in a manner that has the audience wincing, yet such is his talent to portray this grotesque brutality through simply movement and the occasional use of props that no stage blood is used throughout the show.

The story follows Alex's journey from murderous thuggery to being selected as a guinea pig for a government sponsored brainwashing scheme, to "cure" him of his criminality and return him to society. Martin McCreadie reprises the lead role in a performance of breathtaking dance and physicality. His athleticism impresses as he moves around the stage with a serpentine litheness. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to Tom Hardy, he earns our abhorrence administering sometimes lethal violence with breathtaking beauty. Once brainwashed however, he evokes our sympathy as a victim whose mind has been chemically altered. McCreadie is the only cast member who stays in one role, and on stage too, throughout the play.

Without exception his fellow performers, who each play several supporting roles and when required switch gender too, excelled. Memorable were Robin Rayner's ballet of assault with a golf club, Simon Cotton's cuckoo-like usurping of Alex's place in the family home, forcing him onto the streets and Philip Honeywell's prison warder and brutalised rape victim. Neil Chinneck's compassionate yet menacing F.Alexander, Stephen Spencer's Dim and Matt Crouziere's Clown were also chilling in this brave new loveless world. Will Stokes and Damien Hasson with their Governor and authoritarian Mr Deltoid respectively matched the quality of performance of their peers. This review highlights but a few of the play's characters.  All were delivered faultlessly.

The story features Beethoven prominently -  his 5^th, the “glorious” 9^th , whilst the brainwashing scheme is referred to as the Ludovico technique. The company use the composer’s music cleverly throughout the show, with the Moonlight Sonata featuring, as well as an inspired inclusion of Morricone’s The Verdict (Dopo La Condanna) , drawn from Fur Elise.

This show remains a highlight of the Fringe and demands a London staging.

Runs to Augist 26th


Note - In November 2012, this production opened at London's Soho Theatre .
 Read the review here.