The Vortex @ the Maddermarket
The cast gave a convincing insight
Vortex [vawr-teks]
noun
A whirling mass of water, especially one in which a force of suction operates, as a whirlpool.
Through turbulent characters and controversial themes, playwright Noel Coward bought this whirling mass to 1920s theatre. The Vortex’s themes of sex, drug abuse, and closeted homosexuality shocked Western audiences at the time, and perhaps for that reason, bought Coward great success.
Tasked with translating Coward’s feat to the modern-day Maddermarket, director Stash Kirkbride enlisted a stellar local cast and production team.
Susan Seddon (currently celebrating her 40th anniversary at the Maddermarket) played protagonist Florence Lancaster. Seddon succeeded, capturing a troubling obsession with youth, beauty and riches. Florence’s equally decadent son, Nicky, was bought to life by Adam Edwards. Seddon and Edwards synced with a strong ensemble; together the troupe staged Coward’s shimmering, yet thorny upper class.
The characterisation was convincing, costumes were suitably lavish, and the art deco furnishings were on point. Unfortunately, the company were missing a key Coward component: mood. Despite the witty script, the performance seemed to rumble along during the first two acts, rather than building a sense of unease, posed to erupt in the third act.
Despite difficulties with atmosphere, the cast gave a convincing insight into the upper echelons of 20s Britain. Emotional layering may have been amiss, but Kirkbride and his cast sucked us into The Vortex, forcing us to confront humanity’s timeless obsession with youth.
5/10
