Quartet
Heiner Muller
A rarely performed masterpiece of sinister and subversive theatre by the East German playwright whose reputation is second only to Brecht in German Theatre of the 20th century. Müller’s adaptation of the famous novel by Laclos, “Les liasons dangereuses”, is condensed to the eternal conflict between hunter and prey, master and servant, seducer and seducted.
This is a dark, unpleasant and creepy piece of work, written to expose and reveal the motivation of people whose lives are all about manipulation, pose and decadence, it’s the never ending battle of the sexes, a symbiotic ravishing of morality and two apparent predators with only their own reflections and persons as prey.
It was not really made clear what these characters where or why they were in some bunker after this fictious war, and I wasn’t really sure if the characters were playing other characters or the actors were multi-tasking. I’m unfamiliar with this play but am usually ok with the works of Muller, but this did seem a bit rushed and without any of the usual space for digestion that some of these very complex, and often devastatingly funny lines require. What did shine thought was the poetic nature of this work, and the co-dependent ugly truth of the two main characters nature.
This was hard for me to enjoy and I’m not sure if I was just tired out from a hard day’s festival or the venue was not the best place to watch such an intimate and provocative show.
However the actors acted well and their relationships felt slightly bound up with each other, with strike and counter strike falling in a hail of vicious verbal blows, but also endless contradictory stances being posed, thi swas bang, slam no thank you Ma’am. It was a hell of a lot to get through in such a small amount of time and the rest of the audience seemed bruised but pleased with the show too.
The poster promised this to be sophisticated and disturbing, a study in decadence, depravity and vicious sex. The play can be all of these things; I left feeling soiled, disturbed and glad to get out under the stars.
Until 21st May
The Latest Bar
Manchester St
For more info or to book tickets see the fringe website here:
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