The Modern Image of Dorian Gray
By Aimee Riddell from Oscar Wilde
Directed by Kieron Riddell
Spotlites Theatre, Chatham
Star rating: 3
I suppose the thematic parallels between Oscar Wilde’s 1891 novella and today’s obsessive concern with image and social media are irresistible. This is the second thoughtful update I’ve seen on the story of this self-obsessed man whose deeds eventually catch him up. The other was Selfie by Brad Birch which the National Youth Theatre commissioned in 2016. In both cases the action is dominated by phones, photographs, sharing and “followers”.
Aimee Riddell’s version is neatly contrived as a three hander and features young, quite accomplished actors at the beginning of their careers: Jamie Hubbard as Dorian, Dominic Chinery as Basil and Jennifer Erobame as Henry. It’s imaginative, intense and engaging as the play moves towards its dark outcome.
Chinery’s Basil is warm, reasonable and a good dramatic contrast to the other two. He does, however, need further voice work training. Hubbard develops Dorian from an innocent, nice looking lad to a media-obsessed monster, as the role requires. The stylised bondage scene is really quite nasty. At the same time he also manages to maintain some sense of roundedness. His Dorian feels remorse and seeks redemption although it isn’t going to happen.
Erobame is the finest actor of the three. Every line she speaks is beautifully nuanced, she really inhabits the role and listens actively. But there’s a problem. If you cast a women in a male role, then either you have to feminise the character and rework him as female or the actor has to act like a man. Either can work well. But here we have an attractive and charismatic female actor speaking male lines, doing male things (decadent drinking, debauchery, getting married, becoming a grandfather) with male name and pronouns. It feels awkwardly incongruous and my disbelief remained firmly unsuspended.
On the whole it is well directed although there’s too much walking about for the sake of not standing still, especially in the early scenes and I found the relentless barrage of “appropriate” pop music from various eras a bit trying. There is, moreover, a tension between naturalism and audibility. These young actors still have a lot to learn about projection without losing the rhythms of convincing dialogue.
Spotlites Theatre is an old haunt of mine and it’s rather good news. It has been offering theatre training for nearly thirty years and is now run by Keiron Riddell who has spruced it up very pleasingly. Two thirds of the cast for The Modern Image of Dorian Gray began their theatrical journeys as children at Spotlites.
www.spotlites.co.uk
