Northanger Abbey, Theatre by the Lake
Any expectation of a gentle excursion through Bath society with our teenage heroine was soon blown away with the fast pace of Zoe Cooper’s bold interpretation of Jane Austen’s satirical novel. Lulled by the music of the period and the appearance of Catherine in her muslin-sprigged dress greeting the audience as if we were all with her in the Pump Room at Bath, we were then launched into, and spellbound by, the whirlwind action that followed.
Zoe Cooper’s play is a co-production with four theatres – The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, The Octagon Theatre, Bolton, The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough and Theatre by the Lake, Keswick. Director Tessa Walker describes it as a “vivid, funny and inventive re-imagining of Austen’s classic. It’s a wonderful, playful tale of romance, gothic adventures, growing up, and the importance of stories and who gets to tell them.”
Cooper’s exposition was always going to be challenging but expectations were met by this cast of three talented actors. Rebecca Banatvala is endearing as our naive heroine Catherine Morland – Cath – as she takes us through her life story, from birth to the social whirl of Bath and her longed for visit to the undoubtedly haunted Northanger Abbey. AK Golding is charming but manipulative, social climbing Isabella Thorpe – Iz – inseparable from Cath and her brother James until she becomes aware of the lack of fortune he can offer.
Sam Newton plays the ever thoughtful and courteous Henry Tilley – Hen. Cooper explores and brings to the fore what she considers the “central romantic relationship, one filled with lust, anger and betrayal” between Cath and Is. And then there is the mix-and-match gender roles, Hen in a skirt and bonnet as Mrs Morland giving birth to a cushion (Cath) whilst Iz is in her yellow dress but smoking a pipe as Mr Morland. Once the audience had assimilated the switching of roles there was much laughter as the actors morphed into multiple supporting characters. Hen, dressed as his sister, wandering around with buckets in ghostly Northanger Abbey was hysterically funny.
Hannah Sibai’s set design – a simple representation of a period room, but bright pink with a cluster of chandeliers that moved up and down and waltzed around with the action – was a perfect backdrop to the fast and furious action. Piles of trunks and cases doubled as a carriage, the actors bouncing up and down to portray movement, even the near-miss of an accident when John Thorpe is driving.
There seemed to be a contest between the characters as to how the story should end, but it was Cath’s story and she becomes its author. A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining production.
Josephine Jackson
Northanger Abbey is at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick until May 17.
More information: theatrebythelake.com
Photos: Pamela Raith
Stagey Lady 