Features
Review: A Provincial Life
March 5, 2012 Nicola  |
A powerful drama that shows the struggle for equality and a life of one’s own is still as evocative today.
Set in 1890s Russia and beautifully performed by National Theatre Wales, A Provincial Life is based on a short story by Chekhov.
The play, directed by Peter Gill and performed at the Sherman Cymru theatre in Cardiff, follows Misail (Nicholas Shaw) in his search for equality and a workman’s life. Born into privilege and money, he is unhappy with his life and the way it sets him apart from ordinary people. Naturally, this infuriates his strict father and the rest of the town, and the next two hours are filled with the trials he faces as a result.
Each character is a fully-realised study in individuality, with even minor roles bringing extra flavour to a scene. Madame Mufke’s (Menna Trussler) constant response of “Aye” at one point brings a sense of humour to a scene that could otherwise have been a little colourless. Indeed, the idiosyncratic humour that appears throughout prevents A Provincial Life from becoming either too long-winded or too sad. A reading of a long, heartfelt letter, for example, is met with a brilliantly-timed response of “Can I have some cake?”
Perhaps, one of the most interesting features of the play is the way so much actually occurs off-stage. Life-changing events such as marriage and death rarely happen in front of the audience – rather, it is the sequence leading up to events, and their consequences, that are most important.
The play is largely naturalistic in terms of setting and performance, with a sparse set that creates an utterly authentic atmosphere. However, the scene changes have a surreal quality: rather having separate crew members, the ensemble cast members carry out the changes under pink and blue low lights, which gives a slightly dream-like feeling to proceedings.
At over two hours long, A Provincial Life is certainly neither short nor concise, and at times it can seem a little slow-moving, especially when many of the more dramatic events occur off-stage. Nevertheless, without the time taken, the complexities and slow-moving changes that occur in the characters’ lives would not be as realistic and a great deal of subtlety would be lost.
While perhaps not a play for someone who generally prefers the faster pace of cinema, A Provincial Life is certainly recommended for anyone with an interest in people or society.
A Provincial Life is on at Sherman Cymru, Cardiff from March 2-17, with tickets priced from £15-£25.
By Ellen Duncan
[Image courtesy of Farrows Creative/National Theatre Wales]
