Some rehearsal shots of The Vortex taken last night. Pictures by Graeme Braidwood
When I was asked to direct ‘Roaring Trade’ – a play about traders in the financial sector – my first thought was that perhaps it would be seen as a period piece; albeit a very recent one. Just a few months ago the banking system was, we were told, in real danger of collapsing and needed billions of tax payers money to prop it up. But we were also told that banks had learned their lessons and that the bonus culture – blamed partly for our current financial climate – was a thing of the past.
Tonight, though, Newsnight’s lead story and today’s Guardian headline makes it quite clear: bonuses are back.
Steve Thompson’s terrific play is not just about a reckless system that went unchecked in the recent past. It is also, unbelievably, our present too.
The knowledge of how to dress for a black tie affair may not be essential for a director of a Noel Coward play but it’s reassuring nonetheless to know you’re in good hands. Top marks, Robert!
Director Robert Ball, actor Scott Westwod and Marketing Manager Sarah McCaffrey converged on the piano at Bar Epernay in the Mailbox for some advance PR shots for Vortex. Many thanks to Bar Epernay for letting us use their premises.
Photography by Graeme Braidwood
‘I met her in June; we were married in June, an’ Johnny was born in June, so wan day I says to her, ‘You should ha’ been called Juno’’[i]. While it’s pretty clear that Captain Boyle has no grounding in Classical mythology when he coins the pet name of Juno for his wife, it’s equally as certain that Sean O’Casey had good reason for naming his heroine after the vengeful queen of the gods, the Roman goddess of marriage, both wife and sister to Jupiter. In the first instance, it sheds a little more light on the title of the play because, as Ovid tells us in Metamorphoses, ‘the bird of Juno (was) the peacock who carries stars in her tail’[ii].
So – why Juno? Juno and the Paycock is set in a poor tenement block in Dublin, 1922, and follows the fortunes of the Boyle family mixing warm humour with serious social issues. One of its more obvious themes centres around the bloody civil war that was raging at the time between feuding Irish republicans; tearing apart families like those living in the Boyle’s tenement. But a less pronounced motif running through the play is the burgeoning influence of women in a society that has had its long-standing certainties destroyed by the ravages of the Great War. Perhaps it was this strident new voice of women that prompted O’Casey to name Mrs Boyle after the most important of the Roman goddesses. In the year the play is set women in Ireland gained the vote – years earlier than their counterparts in England. In the Boyle family, the only wage earners are Juno and her daughter Mary. Indicative of the growing rebelliousness of younger women in the era, Mary wants better. She is both politically active and dismissive of convention. Juno, far more pragmatic than her daughter, is holding house and home together. Her money feeds the family and keeps Boyle, and his drinking partner Joxer, in beer. She is, without doubt, the goddess of this marriage and the most important member of her family. And in keeping with her namesake, who was responsible for setting Hercules his labours, it is the men who often feel her wrath. This is not without reason. Boyle might consider himself akin to Jupiter but is of no more use than a strutting peacock. Unfortunately, the Captain’s only resemblance to the gods resides in his alcohol-induced daydreams. Without Juno, his world would have long since fallen into his predicted ‘terrible state o’ chassis’[iii].
Rehearsals are still at an early stage but the cast are already exploring the mindsets of their characters. They are also working hard on perfecting their Dublin accents! There have been plenty of laughs combined with searching discussion. In performance, the play promises much of the same. You can see it at The Crescent Studio Theatre from October 3rd to 10th inclusive.
[i] O’Casey S, (1980) Three Plays, London: Pan (p.27)
[ii] Ovid, (2004) Metamorphoses, London: Penguin, (p.612, 15.315)
[iii] O’Casey S, (1980) Three Plays, London: Pan (p.73)
I was asked recently if using “The Shopping and F***ing of the jazz age” as the strap line for The Vortex is just a piece of sensationalism, this is Noel Coward after all! Well, I don’t believe it is at all an unjustified quote and, if you’d like to read it in context, here’s Charles Spencer’s full article from the Daily Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/drama/3671468/The-Vortex-Noel-Cowards-hothouse-drama.html
As Mr Spencer explains in his review of last year’s West End revival, Mr Coward could be “daringly experimental” and this is something that I am enjoying exploring together with the cast of The Crescent’s forthcoming production.
Almost every line has several levels of meaning and there is much that is unsaid between the characters as they swirl downwards in their vortex of beastliness. Of course, the trademark frothy comedy is there (in bucket loads), but this really is a beautifully crafted play that keeps on throwing up surprises.
Looking back from our own, very different age where in-yer-face theatre is almost commonplace, it’s hard to imagine how a play could be considered for banning by the Lord Chamberlain. The one thing that still rings true to our own age, though, is the nature of the conflict – the lack of understanding, the addictions, the obsession with youth – and it is this that makes this a play for today just as much as it was a play for the generation seeking to come to terms with life in the years following the Great War.
The inspiration for the set design for The Vortex is the work of Piet Mondrian (1872-1944). Even if you don’t know the name, his works may well be familiar to you – just think vertical and horizontal black lines with the occasional block of primary colour (red, yellow or blue). This movement in the art world became known as neo-plasticism and Mondrian was its chief exponent. In his work he sought to reveal the timeless, spiritual order underlying the endlessly changing appearance of the world.
This, it seems to me, is an ideal setting for the world of Noel Coward’s play: the central characters (Nicky and Florence) have become obsessed with the fashions of the ever changing world and its new thrills, while losing sight of the things that matter. It’s only when they reconnect to each other and throw out the distractions of sex and drugs that they can hope to have a constructive relationship and lead meaningful lives. Home is where the heart is, and this is what Florence and Nicky have lost sight of.
Mondrian, it can be argued, was at his prime in the 1920s and his work was influencing designers and architects (especially those associated with Bauhaus) at this time. It is entirely possible, therefore, that rooms such as I’ve designed for the play might have existed. However, I’ve been more concerned to create an un-naturalistic canvas upon which the action of the play can unfold. As ever, I’m concerned that the audience should focus on the actors and what they have to communicate through words, actions and reactions.
Our industrious Marketing Manager Sarah McCaffrey pulled a few strings and persuaded the design company ‘Clever Cherry’ (www.clevercherry.com) to give us access to their very swanky offices in the Jewellery Quarter for a photography shoot for ‘Roaring Trade’.
These are my favourite images from the afternoon. Thanks to Clever Cherry and Sarah (who provided the champagne!).
Photography by Graeme Braidwood
A few weeks into rehearsals and all is going swimmingly well. Usually on the acting end of the stick, I am really enjoying being part of the production side. I approached Moss Bros in Birmingham to see if we could recruit some local support and they very kindly offered to provide us with some suits for the cast. So the boys had a morning out on Saturday and got measured up for some quality work clothes fit for top notch businessmen. Please see ‘Suits you sir’ – the article below.
And as rehearsals get under way, the cast are asking more and more questions – digging deeper into the subtext and themes. In doing this, they have found it to be a play with many layers and even though they are just scratching the surface of the investment banking world, they are finding themselves challenged by the fast pace of both the movement and dialogue – not an easy job whilst still on script.
Because of the complex nature of the dialogue (investment banking jargon) I decided I would try to contact Steve Thompson the playwright to see if we could get some questions answered. He was extremely approachable, and had agreed to come to the Crescent to speak to the cast about the play and talk to us in detail about the play. Unfortunately we found this very difficult to arrange successfully over the busy summer holiday period though we are hoping he will attend the show with the added bonus that we may be privileged with his presence at our after dark talk on Fri 25th September. This is a great opportunity for the audience to ask the Director, cast and hopefully the writer questions about the show – so book your tickets soon to avoid disappointment.
We are shooting the publicity shots tonight on location (well – as close to location as possible) and with Chara Jackson fronting the shot – it should be a great success.
On another note – though we have had some contribution from Moss Bros, we need some assistance with some other designer outfits where possible as there are quite a few costume changes throughout the show. So if you are a beautifully pristinely clad gentleman or lady, and can loan or donate some very modern shirts, suits, shoes and coats fit for top exec investment bankers- Please contact me on leasa252@yahoo.co.uk. I am also looking for a ladies designer handbag and 3 briefcases. Alternatively, you can drop them into the Crescent theatre and leave them with our costume department. Thanks in advance for your support.
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