The Bear

Colwyn Abbey players presented the one-act play, The Bear, by Anton Chekhov. This is a play that focuses the farcical side of human nature and amusingly explores the interaction between the two central characters. Chekov tracks their relationship highlighting the absurdity of their actions in contrast to their feelings for each other.  A fast-paced piece that gains momentum as the play progresses.  The interaction and eventual disregard of the needs of the servant, Luka, emphasises how consumed the two main characters become with each other.  

Mourning the death of her philandering husband the play begins with the laments of Elena Popova. Played beautifully by Angharad Davies we witness a young woman who has isolated herself from the outside world, determined to remain alone and mourn her husband’s passing for the rest of her life. Angharad gave the audience a superb representation of the character and set the scene exquisitely. Her mannerisms were controlled and sorrowful, as was her tone of voice. As the play progresses, Elena’s mood and feelings towards Smirnov begin to alter. This portrayal was well-paced and reflected the changing situation between the two. A lovely performance Angharad. Congratulations.

In contrast, Luka, played by Lisa Wingate, presents the ‘voice of reason’ encouraging the young widow to go back out into the world and to think carefully about her future, particularly considering the indiscretions of her Mistresses departed husband. Luka is a somewhat comical character and helps put the actions of the other two into perspective. I particularly enjoyed Luka’s attempts to get the attention of the pair during her possible heart attack. She entertained the audience while not distracting or slowing the momentum of the conversation between Elena and Smirnov. A super performance Lisa.

The landowner Smirnov, played by Ben Huxley, makes a commanding entrance. Hot-headed and determined to recover the debt owed by Elena, he immediately brings a surge of energy to the scene. His rage stands in sharp contrast to the widow’s grief, creating a lively tension between the two characters. Ben’s portrayal of Smirnov is excellent throughout.  His loud interactions with the other characters alongside his softer tone when speaking directly to the audience, worked wonderfully. The mannerisms of this character were spot-on. From the raised eyebrows at the mention of dimples to the random piece of straw casually discarded during his speech about his appearance, fantastic detail that brought this character to life. A fabulous performance Ben, congratulations.

The set worked beautifully.  The use of screens to create the intimacy of the room, the paintings, the drinks trolley, the bear’s head and the armchair all contributed to setting the scene for this play. The space was used well by all the actors.  The sound and lighting were good throughout.  The scene incorporating the opening of the window worked particularly well. The costumes were completely appropriate for the era and complimented the characters and the setting.
This play requires careful direction to keep the pace steady, and the audience fully engaged. It also relies strongly on effective characterisation.  Director Sharon Huxley brought together all these elements extremely well. The attention to detail in both the acting and the set contributed to a wonderful evening of entertainment.

Congratulations to the Director, cast and crew for a superb performance of The Bear.

Thank you for inviting me and I look forward to seeing what this group do next.

 

The views in this review are solely the opinion of the writer.

 

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