Non Fiction

IALS: The Caretaker Review Competition

Judged by Alexander Ferris, Asst. Director of The Caretaker at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.

Winner: Rachael Leo

Alex comments: “[This reviewer was] very strong in her assessment of all the aspects of the production, [with] a cunning re-introduction of ideas in her writing style and a sound analysis of the play. She conveyed her opinions clearly and effectively.”

              After being told that in Harold Pinter's plays, 'nothing much happens,' I admit that I was sceptical about the performance of The Caretaker at The Crucible. However, on leaving the theatre that night I had become converted to Pinter.

              Jamie Lloyd's production of The Caretaker had everything that makes theatre great. As soon as you entered you were thrust into the world that Pinter created. The set was simple, shabby and oozing with tension from the outset. Aided by the incessant sound of the rain and the thrust stage, I felt like the play had already begun. Like we were sitting in that room, just waiting for someone to return. The lighting was moody, which reflected the dark undercurrents of the piece. The rapid movements of light from Davies and Aston to Mick were especially effective for swift scene changes.

              The casting, for me, was utter perfection. David Bradley was clearly born to play the role of the stuttering, stumbling Davies. His portrayal of the old man was amazingly humorous, with his interpretation of Davies examining the shoes one of the highlights. His manipulation of the brothers is both frustrating and remarkable, as our sympathy moves away from the old tramp. Similarly, Con O'Neill's performance as the mentally damaged Aston was touching and thought provoking. His speech at the end of Act Two was the crowning glory for this amazing portrayal.

              For many, one of the main reasons for going to see The Caretaker was Nigel Harman, but the conclusion must be that he is not merely a pretty face. His performance as the brooding but animated Mick was underestimated, convincing and brilliantly acted. The control shown over Mick's sometimes complicated and fast speech was impressive and his angry outbursts were effective without being over the top.

              Altogether, a production that Jamie Lloyd, the crew and cast should be immensely proud of. I have a response to all those who told me that 'nothing much happens.' What The Caretaker lacks in content, it makes up for in tension, emotion and sheer wow factor.

Runners Up:

Matthew Pronger

No doubt there were a few ‘bloody students’ muttered from among the ‘serious’ theatre goers of Sheffield on this night, but fairs fair, if a departmental trip is planned for Halloween it’s hardly surprising that opposite me in the Crucible’s thrust setting there was a zombie, three devils and a burns victim skimming through the programme for tonight’s production of The Caretaker. No doubt Pinter would have been proud of the additional absurdity this added to what was a brilliant production.

              An imaginatively composed stage managed to intrigue without removing any attention from the cast, who overall delivered a performance that could be both moving and humorous. Davies’s character, delivered by David Bradley was charged with the unique self-pity and perversity of the original character and truly was a delight to witness. Tonight’s star performance however was, without question, Con O’Neill, who’s speech at the close of act 1 provoked sobs from the gore splattered vampire I was sat next to, and rightly so, with O’Neill clearly having mastered the broken, disturbed and upsettingly bleak honesty of his character Aston. I wasn’t however, besotted by Nigel Harman as Mick, who’s acting on this night seemed full of over exaggerated idiosyncrasies that lacked subtlety, but his performance was charged, at points with the vicious power tripping energy the text demands. The second act however, seemed to drag somewhat, although this I feel, in part comes down more to a slight weakness in the text than a poor performance.

              Overall however, a very enjoyable evening, made all the more enjoyable on the walk back, in which West Street had seemingly become a district of Transylvania.

Heidi Riley

              Pinter once said, “Apart from the known and the unknown, what else is there?” The answer to this question lies within the one of Pinter’s own characters, The Caretaker. To elaborate, Aston is the known quantity – his behaviour explained by his heart-rendering monologue in the middle of the performance – his behaviour the result of ECT; Mick the unknown, possibly all the more dangerous for it – his behaviour changing rapidly with no apparent reasoning behind it and the caretaker, just as you think you understand his behaviour, something new comes along and changes your understanding. That is what else there is and naturally, this creates a feeling of unease.

              This feeling was rife throughout the performance of The Caretaker at the Crucible in Sheffield, assuring that not only was the performance true to the Pinter style, but also that it appealed to the audience in ways that very few performances ever can do. It made them think.

              The set was intricately simple – the attention to detail reminiscent of an earlier performance of Shadow of a Gunman at the Tricycle theatre a few years back. This both detracted your attention from the action on stage, yet also enhanced it. It adds to the idea that it is not the happenings on stage that are important, but the situation, adding overall to the piece in immeasurable amounts.

              The acting, although certainly not conventional, by far ensured the success of the performance. The success of the entire production rested solely on the subtleties – the slight glances, the awkward pauses, the repeated, broken phrases. All of which were perfectly understated yet glaringly obvious at the same time. The casting could not have been any more right – Nigel Harman glided from one extreme to another with relative ease, leaving you in doubt as to whether he is sane, or just misunderstood. The others, equally deserve praise for their portrayal or misunderstood characters in both this situation and life itself.

              So aside from the known, aside from the unknown, The Caretaker is that bit in the middle – you can’t quite put your finger on it, can’t quite nail it, but it’s there, and this production showed, it really is.