FACTS
| House of Desires runs in rep at Stratford's Swan Theatre until 1 October 2004.
RSC Ticket Hotline is 0870 609 1110, Monday to Saturday.
|
 |  | Olé! The Spanish Golden Age season is underway with a series of four rarely-seen plays from 17th Century Spain.
The House of Desires is one such play which runs at the Swan Theatre until 1 October and we sent site user Nick Winch along with his castanets to see if it was a play with honour.
Review by site user Nick Winch
Now playing at the Swan Theatre, House of Desires was written by a 17th century Mexican nun. If that does not seem to be your idea of an entertaining evening out – think again!!
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz takes the concept of the Code of Honour of that era and satirises it to the extent that we have a truly delightful farce.
| |  | Don Pedro
|
Introducing the characters
In the new translation by Catherine Boyle we are introduced to a set of characters who are in love, but for whom that love is seemingly unrequited or blocked by circumstance. It is all a matter of honour, not only to the individual but also to the family.
Nancy Meckler’s production makes full use of the Swan’s staging, which allows the characters to engage fully with the audience – in particular the scene in which Castaño disguises himself as Leonor!
Humour
The play is written with many asides by the characters; here the producer uses a freeze-frame situation while an individual gives his or her thoughts, and the humour is enhanced when a sequence of such asides results in the actors first removing, then re-inserting themselves into their respective frozen positions.
Two of the scenes involve unlit rooms – and here a reversal of the lighting enables us to see all that is happening while the characters blunder around each other or even slip along a hypothetical wall.
| |  | Don Pedro and Castano
|
Working well
The whole company works well together, but it is worth making special mention of the two principal servants – Simon Trinder as Castaño, already noted above, and Katherine Kelly as Celia – who are key to the plot’s outcome. Their asides to the audience really make one feel part of the action!
Claire Cox and Rebecca Johnson provide two contrasting heroines. The former, as Doña Ana, is happily into intrigue from the beginning. The latter, as Doña Leonor, is caught up with events seemingly outside her control (and it is she who is seen as mirroring Sor Juana’s own situation.)
Meanwhile William Buckhurst as Don Pedro, Oscar Pearce as Don Juan and Joseph Millson (from tv’s Peak Practice) as Don Carlos bring all the mannerisms of Spanish cavaliers to their parts as they try with various degrees of success to work their “honourable” ways through.
A key comment comes from Peter Sproule as Don Rodrigo when he realises his plans have gone astray … “As long as Leonor is married and my honour is not at risk …” This, then, is what Sor Juana was writing about. For men honour was important; the situation of women was secondary.
Olé!
Overall this production was extremely enjoyable, and one I can recommend. Take the opportunity to see it while you can – you’ll not be disappointed.
|
