FOUR Stars
JOSEF K is a normal
man. He has a good job in a bank, friends and life seems good. Then
on the morning of his 35th birthday, he is woken by police and
arrested for a crime or crimes unknown.
His arrest is the start
of a living nightmare into which Josef descends unable to escape or
stop. It is a a frightening and hellish situation where nothing is as
it seems and there are no answers to anything.
The Trial was
originally written by Franz Kafka as a short story before being
turned into a play. A new adaptation by Nick Gill is now on at the
Young Vic starring Rory Kinnear.
As the audience file
into the theatre the first thing that hits you is a bright orange hue
which is incredibly disconcerting. We are then seated in tiered rows
as if in a courtroom.
The second thing you
notice is a travelator which splits the theatre in half and much like
Josef's nightmare situation, once it starts moving, it doesn't stop.
It is an odd story in
that we never know why Josef is singled out for punishment. There is
nothing out of the ordinary about him and he seems to have led a
pretty blameless life although there are hints about his sexual
experiences in the past.
It is perhaps for this
reason that he mixes his speech with something reminiscent of baby
talk, a babble that seems to be him thinking aloud as if in some
altered state of mind.
The action takes place
almost exclusively on the travelator and throughout the two-hour long
show, Rory Kinnear as Josef is never off it - an incredible feat for
any actor.
Not only does he have
to avoid bumping into any of the props which trundle along it, he
also has to dress, undress and deliver his lines and he does all of
this brilliantly. It is an incredible performance.
The rest of the cast
take on multiple roles and provide great support, particularly Kate
O'Flynn who shows off a superb range of characters from the lovely,
sweet kind Rosa who lives next door to Josef, to the lap dancer seen
at the beginning of the play.
It's all pretty intense
and at two hours with no interval it is exhausting to watch. But it
is a stunning piece of theatre and a superb performance from Kinnear.
The Trial is on at the
Young Vic, The Cut until August 22. Visit www.youngvic.org or call
the box office on 020 7922 2922 for tickets.
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