Review of ‘Oleanna’
May 9, 2008 by caareteam
Oleanna
By David Mamet
Produced by Tower Theatre
http://www.towertheatre.org.uk/
Theatro Technis, 26 Crowndale Rd, NW1
Tuesday 6 May – Saturday 10 May
Oleanna is David Mamet’s output on the new politically correct code of speech and behaviour introduced in American Universities in the early 1980’s.
It is a two man show inspired by the playwright’s concern upon the issues and complications, which the new stream of thought of imposed political correctness and freedom of opinions, may bring to the academic environment.
The dilemmas and uncertainties of the younger generations, embodied in the role of Carol, are contrasted with the enthusiastic yet cynical predicament of the more experienced intellectuals, in the play represented by the professor.
All of Carol’s worries, all her turmoil and all her grievances are rooted in the level of the grade she receives from her work. All her questions are to be answered by her grade. All her hopes are hanging from her grade, and she is eager to find out what this may be from her tutor. Yet the professor likes to focus on extra curriculum subjects, like the social value and significance of education. He derides the academic organism for its short-sighted and limited views. In short he is wasting Carol’s precious time.
The conflict between the two, with one advocating a new system, and the other idealising the old safe structure, is so strong that it leads to a crescendo of disagreements, arguments and accusations. The tragic ending is unavoidable.
Mamet’s works do not usually tell a story, or more to the point, the story does not unfold through the conventional narrative succession of events. Often there is no story at all, rather, what we are presented with are models of discourses, discussions which assume the form of passionate arguments. In these, one assumption leads to a thesis that confirms a theory, which is then contradicted by an opposing theory and so on, and so on.
These discussions do not usually require a complex staging, and the number of props is reduced to the minimum.
The director, Colette Dockery, understands Mamet’s dramatic style and her production of Oleanna relies largely on the deliverance of the script.
Keith Hill as John, gives a vivid performance of the professor. Hill depicts his character as a disoriented yet very stubborn man. The disorientation is expressed by the fiddling with the objects scattered on a desk, or by the pacing back and forth in no direction; disorganized movements to betray a disorganized mind. Hill’s American accent sounds genuine. The lines are delivered with bravura and excellent use of pauses; these are voiced with “hums” and “ers” to tone the speech with more flow, or in some instances, timed to add a comic twist. Hill appears to enjoy his time on the stage and listening to him is pleasing to the ear.
Louise Bakker as Carol gives a more introverted performance. Her Carol is well portrayed as an insecure and rigid young person.
Bakker’s interpretation is sometimes hesitant. This fits the picture of an insecure personality. Regrettably the hesitation, not always intentional, shows in the actress’s movements, which can lack completeness or imagination, and this sacrifices her motivations through a narrow channel of expression.
Nevertheless this is a powerful show, and the audience reaction on the first night was enthusiastically positive.
By Liza Adebisi
What a good description of the play.
I did enjoy Oleanna and despite the bias ( I am Louise Bakkers father) thought both actors played their part
very well.
Liza Adebisi refers to Carol as an intorverted performance.
That surely was exaclty what its meant to be.
My first comment was that the Carol character is a “NUTTER”
as you would find in acedemia and again I thought she played that well.
Keith Hill was very good and particularly so on the telephone.
Hans Bakker