THEATRE
By Florian Zeller, translated by
Christopher Hampton
By Melbourne Theatre Company & Sydney Theatre
Company
At
Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, until Dec 16, 2017
Reviewer: Kate Herbert on Nov 8, 2017
Stars:****
Review also published in Herald Sun online on Thurs Nov 9, 2017, and later in print. KH
The Father_ John Bell_pic Philip Erbacher
Watching someone you love spiral into dementia is distressing, but being
the person experiencing that descent into confusion must be far, far worse.
And so it is in Florian
Zeller’s play, The Father, as we
view André’s (John
Bell) life from both the outside and from his own addled and angry perspective.
Bell is charming, frightened, frustrated and frustrating as André
as he struggles to comprehend the changes in his immediate surroundings when he
moves from his own, beloved apartment in Paris to live with his daughter, Anne
(Anita Hegh), and her partner, Pierre (Marco Chiappi).
André’s familiar and previously secure world
is evaporating as we watch: furniture disappears, he repeatedly loses his
precious watch, and he does not recognise his daughter, her partner or his carer.
In a sensitive, nuanced and heart-rending
performance deftly directed by Damien Ryan, Bell effectively captures
André’s transformation from a belligerent, confident and intelligent older
man, into one plagued by angst, fear and bewilderment.
Zeller’s challenging play, translated from French by Christopher Hampton,
is episodic, using short scenes and repeated vignettes to highlight André’s loosening
grasp of time and place.
The witty dialogue makes comedy the flip side of despair and characters
shift from friend to foe as we observe them from André’s
viewpoint.
Hegh is sympathetic as Anne who is overwhelmed by her father’s
deteriorating condition, while Chiappi, as her partner, plays the supportive
but pragmatic voice of reason.
Three additional cast members complete this strong ensemble: Faustina
Agolley is the relentlessly cheerful carer, Laura, while Glenn Hazeldine and Natasha
Herbert play multiple characters that heighten André’s disorientation and
panic.
The Father is a warm but confronting play that tilts our perceptions
and challenges our views of ageing and dementia.
By
Kate Herbert
The Father_Anita Hegh, John Bell_pic Philip Erbacher
Cast - John Bell, Faustina Agolley, Marco Chiappi, Glenn
Hazeldine, Anita Hegh, Natasha Herbert
Director
- Damien Ryan
Translated
by Christopher Hampton
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