Lorna Irvine reviews an admirable misfire.
Selma Dimitrijevic and Mikhail Durnenkov's production of Gogol's morality comedy is, on paper, a brilliant concept. Take six women playing male hustlers and hustled, stand back and watch the sparks fly.
Unfortunately, it never really starts to ignite. The Russian tale of backstabbing card sharks and their plan to initiate new members has some wonderfully vivacious language—there is a lot of fast-paced alliteration, crackling with wit. As twists upon twists pile up and characters reveal just how venal they are, it is often hard to be convinced by a cast who seem more eager to play with tropes of macho swagger than give much thought to how multi-layered characterisation could be better integrated. There is some uneven acting here.
A handsome looking production, Sergey Jakovsky's lighting frames the women in fine, noirish style and Gavin Coward's choreography is spirited and enjoyable. Yet the key components of protagonists and antagonists are missing. The women feel a little one-dimensional, so when plans fall apart it's not hard-hitting enough.
Greyscale/Dundee Rep/Northern Stage and Stellar Quines have, sadly, something of a misfire here, but it is admirable in terms of sheer ambition. It is such a shame as Zoe Lambert effortlessly lights up the stage whenever she is on as jaded Glov Sr or Gavryushka, and Amanda Hadingue's gauche Iharev has great potential. The lusty singing and playing of traditional Russian folk music by the cast is gorgeous too.
The Gamblers tours until November 14.
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