Brighton Fringe 2007
Low Down
An impressive telling of the story of Cassandra in a two-hander from Multi Story Theatre that impresses and engages throughout.
Review
Cassandra, performed at Komedia Studio, has been around for several years since premiering in 2002 at the Winnipeg Fringe.
Cassandra is a production that has a lot going for it.
The story centres around the Trojan seer, Cassandra, played engagingly and convincingly by Gill Nathanson. Her performance is supported by a very simple staging, some excellent lighting (a lesson here in “less is more”).
Gill draws us into het character and story, the tragedy of a prophetess whose doomladen visions are not taken seriously and her experience with the men in her unfolding life story. She has stage presence which carries the character right to the end. Charisma is often rare on the stage these days, but this is atmopsheric work.
What can I say about Bill Buffery? He is an able support to Cassandra, playing three men in her life – the servant of her father, the man who inhabits her drema life, and her brother. One might think there are actually four characters on the stage. Bill is versatile without delineating the characters in a coarse way. Each one is well drawn, portrayed and the transitions between them are seamless.
From a stagecraft point of view, both characters are well portrayed, drawing us into the story in a way that creates a compelling atmosphere.
This is a very visual piece; there’s so much to see, all brought to life in this imaginatively staged two-hander.
So this is a play that has all the ingredients of an engaging play-story, well drawn and portrayed characters, and delivery of words that is often quite simply beautiful. Yes, beautiful is how I’d put it.
I sense a strong collaboration between these two behind the scenes and it works on stage! I want to see more of their work.
There’s obviously a lot of “message “here about contemporary events, and I sometimes felt the lack of subtlety in their wish to bring issues of war today into the mythical material. It’s bold to be contemporary with myth, but I feel there’s a little more work to be done in fusing the modern sub-text with ancient story material.
That aside, there is so much to be enjoyed in this strong production, I’d recommend you catch it as soon as you can.
I caught a few audience members after the show. Comments included: “Really impressed and never lost interest” , “Gorgeous production” and “I’d be happy to see this again”.
Me too.
Komedia Studios have created an intimate space and its good to see a smaller scale venue, at last, in the centre of Brighton, offering theatre of this quality.
PLEASE NOTE
This is a new review on Fringe Review of Cassandra. We pulled the original review which did not meet our review policy and guidelines. This new review is by a different reviewer.We apologise unreservedly to the above company and performers for allowing a review to go up that did not meet our guidelines. Teething troubles of a new site.
