Vanity Fair @ Royal Lyceum 10 March
None are spared the unflinching scrutiny of their lives as their follies, vices and vanities are laid bare.
| 01 Apr 2008
Image is everything. Surprisingly, or not, this maxim holds true just as much for the 19th century as it does for today. Vanity Fair presents a gallery of characters and paints their portraits while simultaneously exposing the cracks in the veneer; none are spared the unflinching scrutiny of their lives as their follies, vices and vanities are laid bare. The Lyceum's production cleverly extends this conceit to the set and costumes, their unfinished appearance making it look like the characters are being painted into existence before our eyes.
Adapted from William Makepeace Thackeray's novel, it follows the lives of the infamous opportunist Becky Sharp and the kind but sappy Amelia Sedley. Condensing the novel into two hours is no mean feat and as a result it's very plot driven; it rips through their reversals of fortune and pursuit of love and power at a roaring pace. However, while the descriptive style of narration works well for the comedy, it flattens the emotional punch of the drama which is disappointing.
That said, director Tony Cownie still provides an enjoyable evening of entertainment. It's a richly theatrical production; a vast array of props and costumes are employed to a hugely humorous effect. The most is made of the comedic scenes and some are laugh-out-loud funny; Joseph Sedley's botched proposal afloat the Vauxhall canal and an Irish lass's serenade are just sublime. The cast are great, playing a multitude of characters with exceptional comic timing and the piano accompaniment really enhances and punctuates the action.
On one level Vanity Fair is a great story. On another, it challenges our values and the social mores that govern them. Thackery takes it one step further by twisting our notion of what a hero is: no character is wholly good or bad, all are flawed and unsympathetic to varying degrees. But while Becky is conniving, calculating and manipulative, you've got to admire her gusto – she always lands on her feet and she always looks good. And as we know, image is everything.
Adapted from William Makepeace Thackeray's novel, it follows the lives of the infamous opportunist Becky Sharp and the kind but sappy Amelia Sedley. Condensing the novel into two hours is no mean feat and as a result it's very plot driven; it rips through their reversals of fortune and pursuit of love and power at a roaring pace. However, while the descriptive style of narration works well for the comedy, it flattens the emotional punch of the drama which is disappointing.
That said, director Tony Cownie still provides an enjoyable evening of entertainment. It's a richly theatrical production; a vast array of props and costumes are employed to a hugely humorous effect. The most is made of the comedic scenes and some are laugh-out-loud funny; Joseph Sedley's botched proposal afloat the Vauxhall canal and an Irish lass's serenade are just sublime. The cast are great, playing a multitude of characters with exceptional comic timing and the piano accompaniment really enhances and punctuates the action.
On one level Vanity Fair is a great story. On another, it challenges our values and the social mores that govern them. Thackery takes it one step further by twisting our notion of what a hero is: no character is wholly good or bad, all are flawed and unsympathetic to varying degrees. But while Becky is conniving, calculating and manipulative, you've got to admire her gusto – she always lands on her feet and she always looks good. And as we know, image is everything.
The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, 14 Mar à12 Apr
http://www.lyceum.org.uk