Graphics by Alfie Carter; Font by Andrew Raynes
5/5
Contains spoilers
Maurice, by E.M. Forster, adapted to theatre by Parsley and Graham, is on at The Michael Pilch Studios until Saturday. Directed by Andrew Raynes and produced by Shaan Sidhu, the play follows the life of Maurice Hall and his exploration of his sexuality in 1910s England. The story is told unconventionally, using Maurice’s recollections of his experiences as a frame for a series of flashbacks. Never having read the book or seen the film, the story was clearly understandable. The audience travels with Maurice, from the present day therapist’s office back to his childhood and first sex education talk, continuing onto his first romance during his university days at Cambridge, and his struggles with his sexuality. Moments of climax in the play are interrupted with reflection from the present Maurice, his therapist acting as the narrative’s driving force in pushing him to recall specific details. This effect is enhanced by Sal Algannin and Stazi Towers’ lighting, with the return to the present indicated by brightness, in an attempt to bring the audience back from the dimly lit, shadowy scenes of the past. As the audience sits in on these therapy sessions and experiences, we are inside Maurice’s memory, and the act of recalling becomes one we too are implicated in.
Maurice is divided into two equal stories, the first half of discovering sexuality and the trajectory of the character’s relationship with Clive Durham, whilst the second half depicts the consequences of this love, Clive’s marriage to a woman, and Maurice’s subsequent relationship with Clive’s gamekeeper Alec Scudder. The first half ends with Maurice’s heartbreaking exclamation: ‘What an ending! What an ending!’ in response to the abrupt unravelling of his and Clive’s relationship. Effectively, this part of Maurice’s life does end, enforced by the sudden intermission which leaves the audience curious of what possibly could follow ‘an end’.
The Pilch is an intimate setting, as a thrust stage where the audience sits close to the actors. This closeness continues in minimal staging: a chaise-long, a gramophone, a chair, by Mitra Stainsbury and Sarah Hussan, that is fluid enough to become a stately home, a Cambridge dorm, and a therapist’s office. Props, by Dave Street, were integrated into the set and felt very natural for the actors to reach for. It was clear the play was set in the 1910s, yet it did not feel removed or out of touch. Sound cues and tech, by Aryan Goenka, Fen Brunt and Kaveri Parekh, were perfectly and effortlessly integrated into the script, bringing the play to life with the chiming of church bells or the sound of music from the gramophone.
With a small cast of 8, costume changes allowed people to play multiple characters. Sarah Hussan was able to be both the awkward school teacher, Mr Ducie, and the timid mother of Maurice, Mrs Hall, in the adding of a cane, or removing of an overcoat. Siddhant Dhingra played both the extravagant Risely and Dr Barry – both character doublings illustrated each actor’s skill in playing widely different characters within the space of a few scenes. The choice of which characters were played by the same actors was very interesting, it felt like the audience were able to get closer to Maurice by seeing who he saw as similar: his school teacher and mother as both figures of authority and guidance, whilst also causing embarrassment, whilst his school mate and doctor both encourage and shame his sexuality.
The play was so enjoyable because of the passion and skill of the actors. Moments of intense emotion, including upsetting scenes in which Maurice wonders if being gay will ever be accepted in England, are balanced by lots of funny moments. Ada, played by Nora Baker, was a great comic relief in the tense break up scene. The lead, Maurice, was played by Daniel McNamee and his love interests Clive and Alec played by Oliver Tanner and Andrew Raynes respectively. The night I saw the show, Alec was played by Andrew, the understudy, due to unforeseen illness, yet there was no indication of any sudden change. The actors worked together perfectly; quick dialogue seemed natural and effortless. McNamee was captivating and played Maurice with compassion and sympathy. There was great chemistry between McNamee, Tanner and Raynes with intimacy coordination done by Joel Aston. The story, although over 100 years old, is still very poignant. It covers a range of issues from homophobia and repression, to classism. Raynes played Scudder excently, breaking through the upper-class, elitist brideshead atmosphere to shed light on his anger at being a servant.
The best part of the play is it ends happily – a rare occasion for queer media. I loved seeing such caring and fully fleshed out romances between the characters. Maurice chooses to turn his back on Clive and live happily with Alec. The play ends with McNamee and Raynes in a tight embrace, ready to start the next chapter of their lives together. I urge everyone to see the play, from brilliant acting to thoughtful design, what more could you want. And what an ending!
Special thanks to Shaan Sidhu.