Feature Review - Victoria Claringbold
Six Degrees of Separation
Old Vic Theatre
Rating: ***½
John Guare’s 1990 play returns to the West End this winter showing why exactly it
deserves such consideration. The Old Vic seems possibly the best theatre to see
this drama/comedy as it is a lavish house that nestles the audience in its red velvet
seats mirroring the lush red carpet of the Kittredge’s, the rich protagonists of
the play.
Six Degrees of Separation has been immortalised by a film adaptation in 1993 which
is hard to discount from your mind whilst watching a stage production. The fact
that it is an ensemble piece though provides enough excitement to carry the play
forward for ninety minutes.
The play is cast appropriately with Anthony Head testing his mettle in the more
demanding role of Flan Kittredge, a wealthy art dealer who is thrown into a perplexing
situation when a young conman named Paul (RADA graduate Obi Abili) enters his penthouse
suite on the upper east side of New York.
Ouisa Kittredge played by Lesley Manville is a rational woman forced to face the
complex web of lies and deceit within her own relationships. Paul mesmerises her
with his charm, celebrity and presence. Paul is based on the black teenager who
in 1983, gained notoriety by charming his way into New York's white upper class,
introducing himself as Sidney Poitier’s son, an ivy league student. The con inspired
the celebrated play as well as a film starring Will Smith. Ouisa questions her marriage
and her motivations by being forced to see herself as an outsider does. Is her life
essentially something to be idolised?
Paul played with impulsive fervour by Abili, has a need to be somebody important,
somebody illustrious who can be admired. He is incapable of empathy and with the
naivety of a child expects to have everything handed to him. This is perhaps a reflection
of American society where status is of such paramount importance and everything
tends to be style over substance.
The Kittredge’s represent the glamour and affluence that Paul aspires to emulate.
They go to black tie events, wear designer clothes, own a Kandinsky painting and
dine at expensive restaurants.
South African Geoffrey (Ian Radford) as the Kittredge’s possible benefactor and
dinner guest is just as captivated by Paul and through his magnetism is convinced
into an art deal with Flan.
The nature of the ensemble play makes for scintillating theatre with new characters
adding depth and intrigue to those already established on stage. The children of
the well off New Yorkers who have been duped by Paul are refreshing in the stark
contrast in attitude they have to their parents. “You gave him my pink shirt” howls
nerdy Woody (Paul Stocker) Flan’s son who is incredulous that his property has been
dispensed with so casually. The pink shirt comes to signify the upper class and
Paul wears it with pride, as an affirmation of his acceptance into the lives of
these dazzling people.
The themes of the play include deception, disillusionment, greed, narcissism and
a yearning to escape from a prosaic existence. The play is driven by the mystery
over who Paul really is. The discovery that the reality is so much more sinister
than the Kittredge’s encounter with Paul is the revelation of the second half of
the performance.
The literary references to Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye and the idea of six degrees
of separation between everyone in the world were the strongest elements in the piece.
Ouisa states sensitively “How everyone is a new door, opening into other worlds.”
My only objection to the production is that you can only really sympathise with
the couple from Utah, featherbrained yet earnest Elizabeth (Sarah Goldberg) and
straightforward Rick (Luke Neal) who in their gullibility are conned by Paul out
of their savings. The rest of the characters are pretentious, acquisitive or attention
seeking and elicit little warmth from their behaviour. Their possessions seem more
significant to them than anything else showing the full realisation of capitalism.
The set included a sofa and coffee table in a carpeted revolving circle with a semi
circular backdrop and the rotating Kandinsky just above that. The two sided Kandinsky
is possibly a metaphor for the two sides of each character. The internal and external
in constant opposition of each others desires.
You can see why producers wish to retell this story as it is compelling as it is
thought provoking. The ending is left open ended which shrouds the action in more
mystery. Is Paul someone we are supposed to feel for, despise or pity?
Victoria Claringbold
West End Theatre Reviews
Welcome to Theatre Reviews London. Here you can find reviews of the theatres and musicals in London’s West End. You can buy tickets here for all the great shows, including musicals such as the Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, the Lion King, or comedy shows such as Spamalot. Most of the shows we review are in the West End, in London, around the Strand or Shaftesbury Avenue, including Aldwych theatre, Vaudeville theatre, Prince of Wales theatre and Her Majesty’s theatre.
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