Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina

A welcome hello from Annie Hatcher who, together with talented Ruth and Glen Roberts, composed arranged and performed wonderful Russian inspired music, which included some items from Rachmaninov, Mendelssohn and Cesar Cui underscoring the play – most appropriate. Enjoyable inclusion of singing and dance throughout the play was an added feature.

This was a brave choice by the Society, but a dream for Jo Reader Director. With her excellent cast she succeeded in pulling off a masterpiece of Russian literature adapted into the stage play ‘Anna Karenina’. It’s an amazingly difficult, long and complicated plot that I’m still not certain I fully understand.  It was indeed thought provoking, painful, seductive, dividing rich and poor, happy, sad, cruel – in fact, expressing all of life’s complexities really. I did question the necessity of such an explicit love scene, although beautifully choreographed, considering the length and intensity of the piece, not only for the actors but the audience too.  Of course, Tolstoy is renowned for long!

I liked the starkness of the open stage with Lenin lying reading as a silhouette – black flats decorated with white, well used to lean upon, and the two moveable sets of steps which rolled beautifully, twisting and fixed. The actors performed slick scene changes working quietly and quickly turning and securing the two sets of steps. They gave angles and height  - finished with an impressive black star sparkling backdrop.  Clever use of separation,  and the use of dry ice making us believe we were at a railway station for example, excellent.   We could visualise the contrast changes from opulent city life to rural country peasant life throughout.

A particularly versatile company of actors gave stark reminders of our fragility and exposing us to many emotions.  At times you might have heard a pin drop in the auditorium. Making her debut with CODS, Anna was played by Victoria Jones who had a huge amount of script to deliver and this she did with great understanding opposite the challenging role of Levin, admirably played by James Harper. The progression of the real love of and final tradegy of Anna’s life was really captured by Simon Tomlinson as Vronsky. Alison Witney-Harrison portrayed the lovely character of Dolly, totally devoted to her extravagant womaniser husband Stiva - giving us a lighter touch of comedy, beautifully portrayed by James Hannaway. All came well for Kitty in the end and Katie Kember delightfully performed her first play with the society. Other members of the cast took on various personas and interpreted them with aplomb.  The stunning costumes were provided once again by Sharon Pickles and Rita Wilkins and were most in keeping for the region, the climate, partying and in the field.  Make up was ensured as correct for the era by Penny Tobin who was also responsible for the accuracy and timing of the many sound effects.  Jo’s  use of movement and singing was interesting, different and the cast were well co-ordinated in for example swinging their scythes, lifting their teacups. The lighting design by the team of four was atmospheric throughout and the SMs Andrew White and Victoria King ran a tight ship.  So many involved in taking this production through from Director to Ticket Sales, you must all be congratulated for your hard work.

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