A fun and freaky production that succeeds in what it sets out to do.
To take on a Gilbert and Sullivan production as a student group in the medium-sized space of Bedlam Theatre is, at first glance, a big swing. EUSOG’s “Ruddigore” indeed is a big swing, and thankfully an enjoyable and mostly successful one.
Mostly every element in this production is working together like a well-oiled machine. This is an achievement worth stating in of itself: many Off-West End and West End productions struggle to balance their plates this well. What results is a nearly three-hour evening at the theatre that flies by with all the fun it’s having, as goes the adage.
Though, some figures certainly deserve singling out. Choreography by Rachael Steel and Roisin Collins is impeccable. Huge ensemble sequences are kept unique enough to remember, while being thematically and aesthetically cogent. A clear standout dance number occurred during the Act 2 opening, in which an incredible Tango-Esque duo performance unraveled, as well as the Opening Act 1 mime-influenced episodes in which three players are murdered at some typewriters. Steel and Collins’ choreography remains interesting throughout, ever changing yet ever consistent.
Musical direction by Franky Leony-Murphy was also consistent and creatively decisive. A beautiful mixture of strings, flutes and appropriate synth created a Scooby Doo style atmosphere. This band sparsely missed a beat, keeping up a distinct performance from start to finish. Each song felt full and this aesthetic worked perfectly well for the piece at hand. Music often conducted the beginning and ending of scenes, in the best case creating a dynamic bookending, but occasionally creating blank spaces onstage while actors waited for cues. Still, these intersections were fun and well meaning enough to forgive.
Finally, design elements were well orchestrated, but occasionally failing. The set, led by Audrey Nicholls and Isla Duffy, was decisively minimal. Some gauze with embedded frames created a doorway for dramatic entrances and windows into alternate scenes. It was a gorgeous set. Yet, with props also being minimal, what resulted was a stage design that relied heavily on performer embodiment to bring the town of Ruddigore to life. Unfortunately, this wasn’t entirely effective; by the second half, it was certainly hard to tell what was happening where and when. In conjunction with tech elements that were at times subtle, flashy and affecting, and at others a little over-abundant, perhaps some further focus on visual design elements in the future will elevate this piece further.
The homogeneity of the cast was overwhelming. For Directors Lewis Eggeling and Bea Temmink to accomplish such a well organised collective performance is a huge feat. Some standout vocal performances came from lead Maia Jones and Nina Berbeck, both handling challenging pieces with ease. Standout acting came from Poppy Hunter and Natalie Rengger, who created an awfully impacting set of half-funny, half-creepy twins, and my personal highlight of the night, Julie Girardin’s performance, which was equal parts silly and technical. Girardin’s utterly unabrasive and effective characterization led to a comfortable presence on the stage, sharp sometimes and soft at others – a perfectly appropriate approach for the character of “Richard Dauntless”.
While incisive direction felt at times absent, with true characterization only being accomplished by a handful of cast members (and with comic beats being missed in the second half because of this), it is hard to feel too troubled by this. G&Ss are silly, melodramatic trope-parodies, and every performer quite agreed on that premise. What results is a seamless evening of theatre that, yes, has room to improve, but ultimately understood the assignment.
