Theo Spring
May 14 2010
Jean Rhys is the author of The Wide Sargasso Sea and this intense production follows her troubled life from poor white Creole in Dominica to her life's search for security.
Playwright Polly Teale used Jean's three alter egos – her older, inebriated self, Jean as a girl/young women and Jean as the mad Bertha from Jane Eyre, the book which has such an influence on her life.
Nikki Packham and Emma Bugg melded extraordinarily as the older and younger Jean, with Bugg performing well beyond her years.
Irene Amos made her mark as Jean's mother and Roger Dale as her father, but each contributed to the play's further diverse characters.
Dawn Cato's delightful Tite and Denise Scales' difficult role as Bertha added fun and gravitas respectively and David Love's Mr Rochester and a small team of Jean's lovers were individually characterised.
Rachel Poulloin brought Jean's daughter and Jane Eyre to life.
Mike Millsted's static set design transformed itself into wherever the story took it and Karen Murray's wardrobe was crucial to the plot.
Howard Davidson's music totally enhanced a production of which the strong cast and director can be inordinately proud.
