Arcadia

This 1993 intricate play of Stoppard's requires a great deal of study and although I pre-read the synopsis I still struggled to fully comprehend the plot. You could hear a pin drop in the auditorium with the concentration.

The open set designed by Kirsty Scarlett Bruff gave an immediate impression of a country pile with angled large windowpanes, effectively lit against the black drapes and French doors and green foliage opening into the expansive garden where Richard Noakes is busy and noisily re-designing the ‘Arcadian’ garden into a Gothic one to include a hermitage. The room contained a central table and elegant chairs placed on carpet, quills, books and papers, candlesticks etc. with a lectern and ornate plant stand either side of downstage. Stage right was blackboard and easel, and left, a basket containing fancy dress. Toward the rear a large bookcase. Only props, letters, game books etc with the addition of a dahlia plant, tortoise and an apple, mugs of coffee, were added. This play intertwined two eras – the early 1800s and modern day. The conclusion was the waltz and kiss - one side Septimus with Thomasina with whom he is in love and could have been famous if she had lived beyond her 17th birthday, and the other surprisingly Hannah with quiet Gus.

The theme is really an obsession for knowledge – the need to know why, what, where and when, and the exploring of ‘carnal embrace.’ Action commences in 1809 at Sidley Park, Derbyshire, the home of Lady Croom with her young genius daughter Thomasina Coverly, tutor Septimus Hodge, son Augustus, her brother sea Captain Brice, houseguests Ezra Chater, botanist unsuccessful poet and his unseen, unfaithful wife, unseen poet Byron and the elderly retainer Jellaby. In the modern era we have Hannah Jarvis, successful author delving into history of the hermitage, the connection with Byron, a possible dual with Chater and how to prove his theory. Also visiting, fame searching Professor Bernard Nightingale, initially in disguise for writing Hannah a bad book review and the three resident Coverly descendants, more sex driven than academic driven Chloe, self-mute  Gus and computer nerd Valentine.

Eloquent, sometimes lengthy passages were delivered with good clear diction from both James Harper as attractive Septimus, and Emily Perrion as eager to learn Thomasina. Elegant Sharon Pickles portrayed the strong personality of much in charge Lady Croom who also had a sexual interest. Hayley Jones was equally matched as feminist author Hannah Jarvis with Steve Lenham as Bernard Nightingale - they sparred well with some choice language. Frank Baskerville was the cheated upon Chater, who sailed away with Director Mark Perrian as Captain Brice who was still having an affair with Chater’s wife. The lovely comedy cameo part of Jellaby was portrayed by Cat Hodson, each step was slow and deliberate, her hands shook, our breath was held as she carried the silver tea tray but she ‘knew all.’ Enthusiastic gardener and machine-obsessed Noakes was James Hanaway. A very convincing performance came from Billy Dover as a frustrated Val, together with hair flicking flirtatious sister Chloe carried off beautifully by Edie Lowe with Dylan Johnson Augustus/Gus interchanging generations.

Adrian Williams was SM, with ASM Beth Fenton. On Lighting was Ben Clarke with Penny Tobin in the Sound Box, with game gun shots, engine and musical sounds, all perfectly cued. Annie Hatcher provided the props with Mark Jeffery overseeing Front of  House. The costumes for the Regency period were elegant and appropriate to both eras. Hair styling and beard perfect.

The certainly appreciative audience was not as large as you all deserved. This was a complex, wordy and long play that was jointly directed and delivered extremely well, however the Fermat theorem and subsequent amendments and the quest for mathematical knowledge were quite beyond me!

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