Driftwood the Musical REVIEW of ACT 1 only 4 May 2023

MUSICAL THEATRE

 Music & lyrics by Anthony Barnhill, book by Gary Abrahams & Jane Bodie, based on the play by Jane Bodie, which is based on Eva de Jong’s memoir, additional lyrics Jane Bodie & Tania de Jong

Presented by Umbrella Foundation

At Chapel off Chapel until 18 June 2023

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

NOTE: I cannot write a formal review as I missed the second act because I was unwell. I can only comment on the first act so do not judge the show on this short comment. Apologies. KH

L-R: Michaela Burger, Tania de Jong, Nelson Gardner, Anton Berezin- pic James Terry

Driftwood the Musical, directed by Gary Abrahams, is based on Eva de Jong’s memoir about her Jewish family and their lives in Europe and elsewhere before and after World War Two and the Holocaust. It is identification theatre that will resonate with many whose lives and family histories have similar stories of being abused, demeaned, disenfranchised and forced to flee their homes as refugees and who lost loved ones at the hands of the Nazi regime.

 

The musical follows the story of Austrian-born Slawa, who is played here by her granddaughter, Tania de Jong, and her Polish-born husband Karl (Anton Berezin), who live and study art in Vienna, fall in love, have baby Eva, then are forced to flee to parts unknown.

 

Anthony Barnhill’s music, played by a fine, three-piece ensemble (Barnhill on piano, Roy Theaker on violin, Kalina Krustev on cello), is eclectic in style, sometimes buoyant and at other times poignant. The lyrics tell the characters’ stories and the music also underscores dialogue.

 

It is a difficult endeavour to condense a biography that covers decades, three continents and three generations and shape it into a dramatic structure that works on stage. Driftwood suffers from trying to cram every episode, however small, into the narrative and this means that minor events sometimes have as much stage time as significant events which unbalances the production. The dialogue, story and staging feel too busy and expositional, crammed with details that might easily be excised.

 

The device of the 18-year-old Eva (Bridget Costello) quizzing her father about her parents’ grim past (about which she had no knowledge until now) has the potential to propel the story by acting as catalyst for the dramatic action. Instead, her interactions with her father are unnecessarily informational and interrupt the central action that takes place in the past.

 

Although the acting is uneven, the singing and harmonies are commendable, with particularly fine vocal performances from Berezin and Costello. Prayer, the final song before interval, is an evocative and haunting lament with echoes of Jewish religious singing and harmonies.

by Kate Herbert

 

CAST
Tania De Jong  - Slawa

Anton Berezin - Karl

Bridget Costello - Eva

Michaela Burger - Rella

Nelson Gardner - Ignaz

 

CREATIVE TEAM

Director Gary Abrahams

Set Designer – Jaob Battista

Costume Designer – Kim Bishop

Lighting Design – Harrie Hogan

AV Design – Justin Gardner

Sound Design – Marcello lo Ricco

Choreographer – Sophie Loughnan

Accent Coach – Suzanne Heywood