Nottingham/Touring.

’TIS PITY SHE’S A WHORE
by John Ford.

Theatre Royal: Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Runs: 1h 50m: no interval: till 10th November.
Performance times: 7.30pm, matinée 3.00pm Sat.
Review: Alan Geary: 6th November 2012.

Violent, degenerate and erotic – an outstanding production.
’Tis Pity She’s a Whore is a strange play. Nowhere does John Ford appear to take sides or adopt a moral stance. In this production the whole thing happens on a girly bedroom set suggesting a black, red and white universe of its own, so you might find yourself sympathising with types who in our own universe might be considered wronguns. This applies particularly to the central characters, who believe in keeping it in the family.

There are massive cuts. Director Declan Donnellan has reduced the action to an hour and three quarters, without a break, but he’s retained most of the mayhem. It’s violent, degenerate and erotic.

Brother and sister Giovanni and Annabella, who spend most of their time romping on the huge bed centre stage, share an intense incestuous passion. Hippolita, who’s been in an adulterous relationship with Soranzo, attempts to poison him because he loves Annabella but is herself inadvertently killed. Annabella’s maid Putana has her tongue bitten clean off whilst making love. Mercifully off-stage, Arabella has her heart hacked out by Giovanni, who carries it back on to show the rest of the cast.

Clearly not a play to take your maiden aunt to for a jolly evening out then; but everyone else will find a lot to enjoy. Besides all the incidents mentioned, whether we admit it or not, the sort of thing most folk find interesting, it’s satirical and even funny – and not just in the black comedy sense.

Performances are impeccable, both from individuals and from the company as an ensemble – they’re often on stage invisibly, watching or eavesdropping on the main action. There’s also a lot of slick and ironical song and dance.

Gina Bramhill and Orlando James, especially the latter, are superb as the siblings. Nicola Sanderson’s Putana is a brassy and lively performance. Laurence Spellman, as Vasques, with his pedantically deadpan, gentleman’s gentleman working-class accent is outstanding. Hedydd Dylan makes Hippolita slinkily sexy; her scenes are the most watch-worthy, and since at one point she also sings, the most listenable of the evening.

This is an outstanding production from Cheek by Jowl

Annabella: Gina Bramhill.
Grimaldi: Philip Cairns.
Florio: David Collings.
Hippolita: Hedydd Dylan.
Donado: Ryan Ellsworth.
Gratiano: Jimmy Fairhurst.
Giovanni: Orlando James.
Friar: Jonathan Livingstone.
Cardinal/Doctor: Peter Moreton.
Putana: Nicola Sanderson.
Soranzo: Gyuri Sarossy.
Vasques: Laurence Spellman.

Directors: Declan Donnellan, Owen Horsley.
Designer: Nick Ormerod.
Sound/Composer: Nick Powell.

2012-11-09 16:36:21