August Strindberg's
Playing With Fire is the story of a couple locked in a loveless but comfortable marriage. Knut, a permanently infantilised rich boy, is happy enough with the lovely Kerstin, and she generously turns a blind eye to his dalliance with the vapid Adele. The only intrusions on their life, lived in an extension to his parent's house, are the visits from Knut's flirty father and thwarted mother. But when the seductive Axel turns up in town, passions start to flare.
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| Flaming heck |
A small space like the Drayton Arms Theatre is perfect for measured drama with pauses and deep emotion because no expression or catch of breath on stage, is missed. Anna Ostergren's adaptation, however, pares this classic to the bone. The piece lasts barely an hour. While the crisp turn of events is helpful in keeping us engaged, it strips the narrative of emotional nuance. Sexual tensions go from nought to ten in minutes, and Adele's vital role as a catalyst is reduced to one of irritating lounge lizard as Knut and his father vie for her affections.
Adele happily enjoys the attentions of both, but for her the prize is Axel. Axel, however, is beguiled by Kerstin, who is encouraged by Knut to act on her increasingly obvious love for their friend. You know there's trouble ahead. Adele and Axel are 'the fire starters': they kindle the flames of love. Knut and Kerstin need the uncertainty of a triangulated relationship in order to desire each other. They thrive on testing boundaries. But when Knut demands and gets total honesty, everything is put at risk.
In conclusion: The three leads in this production do a good job and the production has a certain bounce. The complexities of the story are reduced too much, as are the support roles which become cariacatures. The father has some funny lines - both wise and irritating idioms including many about the ephemeral nature of love.
References
Drayton Arms,
Tickets
The Drayton Arms Theatre, 153 Old Brompton Road, London SW5 0LJ. Production now closed.
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