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Images: Heidrun Lohr

POSTED: 08 JULY 2009

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, by Robert Crouch (adapted from a novella by Nikolai Leskov)

(Arts Radar & B Sharp | Belvoir Street Theatre, Surry Hills, Sydney | Until 26 July)

The current fascination with Russian theatre continues at Belvoir Street this month, upstairs and down. It seems that there are more performances with a Russian flavour in Sydney lately than in downtown Moscow. But that’s not a bad thing.

Robert Couch’s adaptation of Nikolai Leskov’s 1865 novella Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk opened last Friday night to a capacity house. If you know anything about the original Lady Macbeth, there will be no surprise in the fact that this particular lady is scheming, passionate, and increasingly deluded. Nor will it be a surprise that it doesn’t end well.

Originally banned by Stalin for its depravity, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk tells the story of Katerina (Alice Parkinson), a young woman forced into a loveless marriage in order to conceive an heir for the wealthy Zinovy (Jason Langley). She falls instead for Sergei (Conrad Coleby), and thus begins a doomed affair filled with lust, murder and betrayal.

Just how far is Katerina prepared to go for love? And what sort of love demands such brutality? Juicy stuff.

Parkinson as Katerina is utterly compelling. Her diminutive frame belies a larger-than-life spirit. Apart from her mesmerising eyes and throaty voice, she so convincingly portrays obsession and desire that it is difficult to tear one’s eyes away when she is on stage. This production is worth seeing for Parkinson alone.

Fortunately, director Joseph Couch has selected and shaped a universally strong cast that more than ably take up the challenge of sharing the stage with such a character. Coleby’s Sergei is strong and charismatic, and the changes in his feelings towards the deranged Katerina are subtle yet potent.

The remainder of the cast take on several roles each — often an intimidating task as the audience adjusts to the new persona. Amy Kersey’s wry humour as Aksinya moves effortlessly to the weary Fiona; Don Reid’s overbearing Boris to the brusque Sergeant; Edwina Ritchard’s wide-eyed Fyodor to shrewd Sonia; Jason Langley’s solemn Zinovy morphs into wild-eyed prisoner.

Verity Hampson’s lighting is atmospheric and put to excellent effect, most notably in the last moments of the production.

Minor things niggle, such as the varying use of props and mime (why have ‘pretend’ stew and then real bread?). However, the strength of the performers more than make up for such slight matters.

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk is physically and emotionally powerful theatre, even though it occasionally felt like I had seen this type of thing before — and I guess in many ways I had. The main surprise came in the final moments — a brilliantly depicted climax with a questionable coda.