One Hand Clapping, Friday, 15th March, International Anthony Burgess Foundation
Words by Alex Martin
A dimly lit stage with the buzzing static of a television to light the space. This was an unusual Friday night for me, one that would turn out to be entertaining, funny and consistently thought-provoking, all due to Lucia Cox’s stunning adaptation of One Hand Clapping at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation. The audience was buzzing as we waited to go in, milling around with the kind of quiet excitement that always comes before a truly great performance; an infectious atmosphere that left me itching to see the play, and it did not disappoint!
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| Eve Burley & Oliver Devoti |
A chair, a bookcase, a trunk and several well placed televisions make up the stage of One Hand Clapping, but in viewing the performance, I found myself in awe at the simple power of clever lighting and even the smallest props that were involved. The set, designed by Meriel Pym’s, was incredible – honestly, I could go on about this set for hours – even a couple of books became hugely important to the performance, and props such as a simple armchair and a rather memorable large trunk were as vital to the play as much as the actors! This attention to minute detail did wonders for the stage; anyone who has been to the Burgess Foundation knows that the stage has the potential to be quite limiting, but in this case I believed it immensely, and was thrilled at the clever ways that the televisions managed to transport me beyond the living-room setup.
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| Adam Urey, Oliver Devoti & Eve Burley |
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I completely agree with everything here Alex! It really was beyond my expectations. I really do hope Lucia is able to put it on again, three nights were definitely not enough.