With the underlying questions of the duty of a society versus individual responsibility and what really constitutes madness, it’s easy to see why people have so often tried to adapt Woyzeck, an ahead-of-its-time piece that was left unfinished by Georg Bϋchner at the time of his death in 1837.
This production is a commendable example of the kind of raw, experimental work that Edinburgh is lacking.
Woyzeck (Matthew Austin) is just a simple-minded soldier who is driven by love for his wife Marie (Alice Kornitzer) and their baby boy. In order to scrape together enough money to sustain his family, he performs menial jobs for his Captain (Johnathan Elmer) and agrees to take part in the frequent experiments of his doctor (Liina Tuominen). As his mental health begins to deteriorate, Marie grows tired of him and her attentions are turned to the self-satisfied drum major (Andy Henry). In a frenzy of jealousy and humiliation Woyzeck is driven to desperation and tragedy ensues.
Woyzeck is one of those pieces that exemplify so much of 19th century German literature: an underlying darker gothic tale covered over by slapstick humour and impressive physicality and it’s exactly this style of performance which carries off an otherwise scatty and fragmented piece. The evening is held together particularly well by a live band led by Iain Orr, and under the direction of Steven Kirschbaum, the QMU Drama Society handle the challenges of the text well. The humour is sustained reasonably well and is admirably counterbalanced by Austin and Kornitzer who leave your sympathies in limbo. Between the Captain’s lectures on morality, the doctor’s constant experiments and the pressures of his responsibilities to himself and his family life, Woyzeck becomes a play toy for faith, science, nature and consumerism and it’s being caught between these often conflicting discourses that drives Woyzeck to insanity. Though the text lacks any kind of clear depth in its development, there are some interesting questions at the heart of it, and this production is a commendable example of the kind of raw, experimental work that Edinburgh is lacking.
VENUE: Bongo Club, 37 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8BA
DATES & TIMES:
Tuesday 2nd February @ 7pm
Wednesday 3rd February @ 7pm
Thursday 4th February @ 7pm
PRICE: £6 (£4 conc.)
INFO & CONTACT:
Ariane Oiticica (PR & Marketing) 07917190584 – aoiticica@gmail.com
Flavia D’Avila (Producer) 07847177784 – flavia.davila@gmail.com
James Fletcher (Producer) 07725442283 – 05002005@qmu.ac.uk