The mandate review

I think there was a very comical energy to this production right from the beginning with the outrageous decision to replace 'Copenhagen Twilight' with a portrait of Karl Marx and then the added humour of Ivan Ivanovich -- scurrying about with a pot of noodles on his head! What kept it afloat for me, among the numerous references to the Russian revolution was the theme of mistaken identity. The sight of a cook who is bundled into a trunk wearing a gown allegedly belonging to Anastasia and who is then taken by the royalists as her miraculous incarnation, provided much slapstick farce and dramatic irony. It also accommodated a more darker, poignant side to the play as the contents of the trunk: memories of imperial Russia, played a nostalgic role for both families.

Lighting techniques along with interesting scene changes and fantastic live musicians gave added effect to this production, staged in the Cottesloe Theatre, one of the National’s smallest venues. The diversity of the characters and apparent political satire successfully communicated the desperate uncertainty of these times through frantic fun. However, it also created some desperate uncertainty for me as a viewer.  I don’t think any writer can be blamed for being overtaken by history, but watching the play I couldn’t help but feel a little lost, having restricted knowledge of the Russian revolution. I think this may be the reason for my finding the comical aspect of the play so inviting, as it required little enlightenment. It was therefore hard to sympathise with the characters and put them into context. However, I have never seen a production quite like this, with such a broad cast in such a small space and I was never at any point disinterested or put off, if anything it caused me to listen and concentrate harder!

Hannah Taylor (481 words)