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The Caretaker The Odeon Theatre Reviewed 28 February Until 13 March After more than a year's absence from Adelaide stages, Brink Productions is presenting 'The Caretaker' which opened at the Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney in July 2002. Author Harold Pinter shook the English stage in 1959 with his psychological combatants and their obfuscating and manipulating language. Director Hannah MacDougall casts her womanly eye with pity and askance over the three poor blokes in this play that can't seem to talk to one another. This is a really excellent production. Geoff Cobham's and MacDougall's set is tiny and seedy, and the decoration of second hand goods helps cram in the intensity. Cobham lights his stage in broody tones illustrating an impoverished room disjoint from anything outside. Accurate costuming by Gaelle Mellis added to the realism. The famous Pinter pauses that just seem to slow things down in lesser hands contribute to the tension - you sense there is no telling what these guys will do next, even if you already know. Anthony Phelan created an utterly authentic Davies - gruff and wily - an experienced hobo unused to kindness. The brothers Aston and Mick, played by Brink ensemble members David Mealor and William Allert, relate to Davies as companion and threat. I won't soon forget Mealor's monologue of Aston's unfortunate experience in the health care system. Allert's Mick is smooth, pretentiously sophisticated and threatening. MacDougall's director's notes indicate her focus on the tragedy of inarticulation and an incapacity to relate. But buried under Pinter's dialogue is the action of his characters. Aston provides succor to a tramp and continues to do so under distressing circumstances. Mick is his brother's keeper and manipulates the confrontation to occur between the other two. There is a lot of love in this play and the action ends when the one who doesn't get it has to be humbled to understand. This is powerful drama not dated a day since its writing and this production does it justice. Don't miss this opportunity to see a classic presented with great expertise. |
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