Thursday, 10 July, 2014
Review by SAMSARA DUNSTON
REVIEW:
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
The atmosphere of the audience as
they entered the theatre for this preview was one of restrained
anticipation. Glengarry Glen Ross is considered to be David Mamet’s greatest
play. There was a sense of excitement to
see how the Melbourne Theatre Company would present it in their sumptuous
Sumner Theatre.
Just before the curtain went up
Alkinos Tsilimidos (director) announced that the actor originally cast as Shelly
Levene had fallen ill and needed to be replaced four days ago. A tangible murmur of dismay rippled through
the auditorium as the scope of this tragedy was realised, with Levene being the
main protagonist. We were advised that
John McTernan was now playing the role, but would be performing with script in
hand. The compassion and support from
the audience was demonstrated by the voluminous applause as the curtain rose
and McTernan stood there alone with his script in acknowledgement of the
situation. Everyone was in the mood to enjoy the production and support their valiant efforts. Unfortunately this was not rewarded.
Glengarry
Glen Ross is a study in workplace bullying, the ramifications of intense
competition, and desperation. Levene (McTernan)is
an aging real estate salesman who is being ‘outsold’ by the very men he
trained. A sales competition has been
set up to reward the best and sack the worst.
This sets the scene for backstabbing, bribery, and a dog eat dog world where
survival of the fittest is the name of the game and there are no rules.
Mamet crafts the play with a mastery
which is breathtaking. Each scene builds
on the one before, and there is no respite to the tension until the explosion
of the denouement. Unfortunately
Tsilimidos’s production does not achieve this tension.
Tsilimidos has a background in film
direction. He has emerged as a theatre
director through the MTC with the previous productions Red and The Mountaintop. The Moutaintop and Glengarry Glen Ross suffer from the same flaws, although the
intimacy of the Fairfax Studio allowed the audience to overlook them in the
former production. Tsilimidos seems to
prefer symmetry in design, and uses the stage as a frame rather than an
interactive space for the performers.
Whilst the set was lush and detailed as we have come to expect from
designer Shaun Gurton, the neatness worked against the chaos Mamet creates as
worlds fall apart. Nigel Levings
(lighting designer) makes a brave attempt to enliven the space, but again, this
just becomes framing.
Alex Dimitriades (Roma) and Brett
Cousins (Lingk) provide the only source of life in this sea of dullness. The rest of the cast lack definition and
often seem to not really know why they are there. I will say that McTernan delivered his lines
with great passion and understanding, and if he can achieve this in only four
days, it bodes well for the rest of the season.
Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet Directed by Alkinos Tsilimidos,
set by Shaun Gurton, costumes by Jill Johanson, lighting by Nigel Levings,
sound and composition by Tristan Meredith.
With Rodney Afif, Nick Barkla, Justin Stewart Cotta, Brett Cousins, Alex
Dimitriades, and John McTernan.
Melbourne Theatre Company, Sumner Theatre, until 9 August.
