The Devils

‘The Devils’ a play by John Whiting, based on a book by Aldous Huxley, is showing at the Nexus Theatre, Murdoch University each evening at 8.00 pm until 10^th November. This is an advanced final year theatre students' production.

Grandier (Kit Sparrow) is the religious leader of a walled Protestant city in France called Loudon. The Catholic Cardinal Richelieu (Marisa Lander) tries, without success, to get the King’s permission to breakdown this dissenting stronghold, and so decides to go ahead by himself.

After a Wagnerian piano overture (pianist – Michael Workman), this contemporary play opens, as in Macbeth, with a couple of hags, the local surgeon and chemist (Tara Hoban and Rebecca Jarvis) cackling over their new acquisition for research. It is the head of a recently executed prisoner.  We then see Grandier at his morning exercise, deflowering the maids of the city before sincerely repenting in the afternoon. His amorous advances are noticed by the deformed, schizophrenic Prioress (Danielle Taylor) who has been possessed by the Devil and now lusts after him.

With a conscience (?) Grandier decides to settle down so takes a partner, his latin pupil Phillipe (Kristina Francis).

Richelieu decides to send two of his officials to Loudon in order to dig up the dirt on Grandier and discredit this religious leader. De La Rochepozay (Sarah Reuben) spits venom as she threatens the locals. On finding mad Jeanne, the prioress who was rejected by Grandier, De Lombardement (Valentina Carboni) calls for an exorcism in an attempt to win over Jeanne's support for his capture. The exorcists Barre (Joel Sammels) and the drag queen-like De Condi (Jessica Karasinski) do their work.

This production is extremely well directed (Serge Tampalini and Jessica Karasinski). It is set in modern times, to show that even today major powers will do anything, in any way, to take over any one.

The scenery is basically flats and flies of muslin on a frame, but with quite incredible lighting (Lucas Russell and Madoka Ikegami) and projected slides (Karl Turner) the whole show is alive. The cast move confidently around the large stage with split second timing for entrances and exits. The standard of delivery of this rich and tricky dialogue is high, clear and with emotion. The competent cast – of ‘thousands’ – retained the pace beautifully for the whole show.

The final scene has some wonderful tech-ing (Nicholas Circosta). Slick stage management.

Ken Russell’s film was sleazy (banned in most countries) however the sex and torture in this production was strongly inferred without being blatant.

I went along to see this demanding play expecting a disaster; however I was totally impressed, it held me for the whole two hours. A production of which the cast should be completely proud. Glad I didn’t miss it.

P.S.    I don’t know any one connected with this production.