Kirsten and I attended a performance of Closer at the ADC Theatre last night. Being a fan of the film, and having heard great things about the stage version (which preceded it) I was keen to see for myself. It is, indeed, brilliant. There lies a great difficulty in presenting a stage play when people now readily associate the characters with their big screen stars, especially in the stripped down cast-of-four style of Closer.
It is immediately apparent that Crarer was little enamoured of the film as there is no trace of Natalie Portman’s performance in her Alice. She retains the character’s open playfulness, but the demure veil of innocence is largely gone. The male cast channel far more of Jude Law and Clive Owen respectively, and similarities are evident even in their appearance. Marwood is particularly adept at drawing out the best feature’s of Owen’s bitter cynicism while still making the role his own. Julia Roberts’ Anna was the least fleshed out of the film’s characters, leaving her a flat, two-dimensional and rather forgettable sideline. Morgan certainly breaks free of this in portraying a rounded character easily as memorable as the rest. This is further helped by a critical confrontation between the two female leads which is notably missing from the film to the detriment of both characters.
The direction was adept aside from occassionally jarring scene-changes accompanied by flashing lights and club beats. These worked in general, but occassionally swallowed the preceding line of dialogue which may have been more powerful had it been allowed to linger for a moment. The comical cybersex scene was brilliantly staged with Dan and Larry on opposite sides, separated by a screen onto which their hilarious conversation was projected. The strip club scene was also deftly handled in a reasonably modest state of dress but with undeniably erotic energy.
The distance between posts is more a sign that little is going on yet than me being excessively occupied. Supervisions have tended toward Week 2 this year, so expect things to become quieter as I keep my head down and battle through the work. Unless something actually happens, that is.
Lastly, if you’re a final year student, StudentFocus is undertaking some research with The Times and may be willing to pay you £10 per survey you complete. So until you are actually rich, it seems like a pretty good deal. Get in early as places are limited.
18 October 2006 at 9:30 pm
Morgan is a fittie.
¬_¬
Well she is.
26 October 2006 at 4:46 pm
Hey P would you like a closer poster?