Dr . Koppelius

Malcolm Crisp's highly disciplined approach to his collaborative work continues to strengthen and consolidate with 'Dr. Koppelius'. The subject matter is complex and demands the audiences close attention - mutliple views of the concept of 'reality' are presented in rapid succession and Malcolm demands that we digest them as quickly as possible in order to appreciate the full value of the plot. The story had a 'folklorish' quality about it which complimented the complexity of the subtext. The characters are all metaphors for a particular point of view of the subject matter and this was handled consistently throughout. Names like Olympia alluded to more specific stylistic devices reminiscent of Greek tragedy, and Dr. Koppelius herself played out the role of the chorus, updating the audience on the potential consequences of the actions of other characters.

The music and lyrics provided by 'Zenomorph' provided a 70's rock opera vehicle for the tale. At times I found the lyrics too esoteric to follow, especially as the dialogue was already so 'idea-heavy'. The fact that the glam-rock era was so dependent on questions surrounding reality vs. fantasy, this genre (which by today's standards would be considered classical music) works effectively in this context. The 'goths in leather' look which is such a favourite of Malcolm's as a device to drive the sexuality and eroticism of the work is in strong evidence again.

The stillness of characters was disciplined and focussed. I would personally have liked to have seen more movement throughout. I believe the subject matter could have sustained it.

All in all a fascinating piece of theatre, solid performances and clearly the most consistent of Malcolm's collaborations. He has etched a niche for himself and I hope that he will continue to pursue this particular stylistic line to even more challenging conclusions.