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Review: Passion

★★★★☆

Four Stars

‘Passion’, that “incurable disease”. Seldom has so befitting a title been so misleading. Hauntingly beautiful, the word’s origins trace back, far back, to the Greek term πάσχω, meaning to ‘suffer’. Through it all, whispering sweet nothings, tugging on heartstrings, from clichés to a flowery turn of phrase, it is this, this suffering that underlies, that lurks beneath the surface of Sondheim’s 1994 adaptation. Boldly, it advocates for an unsettling, even destructive, premise. Love, regardless shape or form, possesses reasons that reason knows nothing of.

Soaring intensely from the get-go, an abrupt flourish rises above a steady march – hurry, hurry! Music hurdling toward us, we rush into the opening sequence. The tempo is set. The scene is set. The stage, awash with sultry hues, reddish tints and tones struggle to keep apace with two scarcely clothed figures, tossing and turning in the thralls of passionate romance. Gradually, the music softens as it seeps from behind a distinctly Mediterranean edifice, its weathered walls shedding flakes of paint.

Sondheim’s long “rhapsodic score” wafts alongside Giorgio (Alex Ohlsson) and Clara’s (Georgia Figgis) melodic voices, dreamily hanging their words aloft. Suddenly, Giorgio announces he is to leave Milan for a remote military outpost. Clara, distraught though she is, vows to maintain lengthy correspondence with her lover. Embarking upon his duties, Giorgio encounters Fosca (Emilie Finch), the fragile and reclusive cousin of Colonel Ricci (Richard Whitney). Taken in by his intellect, kind heart and comely looks, the smitten Fosca relentlessly pursues the reluctant captain. What follows are a series of trials and tribulations, which prove riveting indeed. Giorgio discovers “love is unconditional” – not something to be negotiated or scheduled!

Otherworldly, Figgis endows the lavishly dressed Clara with a touch of the fanciful. Both within and without the action of the musical, she sustains the strange duality of her role marvellously. Recounting each and every appearance, she manages, time and again, to light up the room – mind you, this is in no small part due to the painstaking precision of the lighting team! Meanwhile, Finch imports an acute sense of vulnerability to her emaciated character, battered and bruised by love lost and love unrequited. It is through her that we come to know Giorgio; why he joined the military, whether or not he has siblings – even the startling disclosure that Clara is actually married to another man! If these performances are to be admired, Ohlsson is to be venerated – he most certainly stole the show. Acting as a fulcrum point he brings balance, without fail, to every single scene down to the very last. As if conducting a symphony, the sheer weight and command of his presence oftentimes outshines the talents of his fellow co-stars. One masterful stroke, the scene featuring Giorgio, Clara and Fosca somehow manages to juxtapose joy and torment all at once. The manner in which these disparate elements came together to form a rich polyphonic texture is nothing short of astounding. 

Of what shortcomings there are, many can be dismissed as minor incidents or the familiar misfortunes that are part-and-parcel of orchestrating such an elaborate design. The occasional sound glitch, stray note from the band or failed igniting of a candle are easily forgivable, given the circumstances. The management of the stage was largely impeccable – that is, effective and efficient. Fastidious attention to detail from costumes to cutlery, and breadth furniture; including a bed and a makeshift pool table, provided a creative spark, lending some much needed verisimilitude. One criticism, however, could be levied against the transition from one scene to another or perhaps, the number of scenes themselves. It must be said that the director has recognised this issue – as evidenced by a quartet of soldiers forming a human palisade to cover the frantic shuffling of dark-clothed stagehands rearranging the set behind, preparing it for what’s just around the corner. Yet, one hesitates to consider, is this too cluttered; does it break up the continuity of the piece? On the whole, I think not, but there may be something to be said for keeping it simple, especially when you’re dealing with a much smaller stage than the Broadway original.

This is an ambitious project; one, which I daresay, has paid off. That it is the highlight of Oxford theatre this year – well, maybe that is too tall an order. However, only a fool would write it off, with gutsy performances like these, it cannot help but be in the running. Intelligent directing with a magnificent cast – don’t miss out on this rare treat! 

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