'Venus In Furs' - Theatreworks, Melbourne

As posted on the Arts Hub website - written by Chris Thorpe. As the case with most non-literary enthusiasts, it’s often a matter of 'heard of it… haven’t read it' or 'know of the story, but not the details…'. What ensues then, when the watching of an adaptation of a famous text (whether on stage or screen) is 80% curiosity, 10% expectation of story (depending on the reputation of the book) and 10% expectation to execute a quality show. If one has read the text, the curiosity is a given and the expectation of story doesn’t rate. But the expectation of execution almost rates at 100%. Anticipation would assist, of course. Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch’s Venus In Furs, first published in 1870, is certainly one of those famous stories in which that curiosity certainly prevails into wanting to watch its theatrical adaptation. A complex love affair, sexual psychology, limbs tied up to furniture, whipping... what more could one ask for? In Elbow Room’s beautifully elegant production at Theatreworks, you also get mood, atmosphere and tension. Adapted by Neal Harvey, Venus In Furs makes for a great (almost) two-hander. The text is sharp and driven, though repetitive in some of the longer speeches and dialogue. This allows the actors to keep the audience focussed on just how far the insipid Severin von Kusiemski (Angus Grant) will go to keep the one he loves – the merciless Wanda von Dunajew (Karen Roberts. And just what Wanda will do next to keep Severin a slave to her - or not, as the psychology of the piece surfaces, to reveal deep conflict within: does she play the game of tyrant for real, or are there limits – a game for the sake of love? Set and lighting designers Lucie Sprague and Tristan Bourke capture all the tension and uncertainty of the piece in a lavish yet simple set, with black transparent scrim arching the large cavernous space, black period furniture, and well-positioned lights to accentuate mood and emotion. Sound Designer and Composer Dani Kirby’s minimal yet haunting music accentuates this further, with subtle timing that fits right in with both dialogue and silence. To top it off the director, Marcel Dorney, has added depth and some stunning visuals to the set by allowing some of the action to take place behind the back scrim. This gives a good sense of detachment and curiosity to character thought and future action. In saying this, however, the performance didn’t reach its potential for a truly memorable piece of theatre. The actors seemed to coast through the play, with no real gusto in the (many) confronting and emotional scenes. Potentially great still and silent moments were lost and the overall passion in the characters - in particular Severin – were replaced with the presentation of the idea of the role. Ultimately, Venus In Furs is a passionate and powerful portrayal of one man's struggle to enlighten and instruct himself and others in the realm of desire. Elbow Room is new to Melbourne, having collaborated extensively in Queensland, and the choice of such a production shows that the company has a fair idea of what the punters are after at a night at the theatre. It’s just a pity this reviewer caught the show on an 'off' night.