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Michael Cox reviews a theatrical triumph from Catherine Wheels Theatre Company.
We are led to believe at the start of The Voice Thief that the Mackenzie Institute for the Encouragement of Vocal Harmony (MIEVH) is an important place. Led by Dr Broderick Mackenzie, the hall of the institute is lined with photos of the good doctor with famous people he’s helped: the Dalai Lama, Elvis Presley, Barack Obama and even the Queen herself. He seems cheery enough at the start of the tour, telling us how passionate he is about helping people achieve perfect voices through his medical procedures that allows him to remove any unpleasantness from speech.
But all is clearly not right. The clues are obvious, namely in
the way he treats his daughter and the fact he’s donning a wig that’s quite similar
to Cruella de Vil’s hair. Things seem harmless enough as the audience are taken
on a tour through MIEVH, until…things start happening.
It seems a disservice to say even that much about the production, a promenade piece which takes us throughout the basement section at Summerhall. The story does slowly unfold, but this is a production that’s far more about discovery and experience than it is about plot. During the tour we get to know the four characters, father and daughter Broderick and Beatrice Mackenzie as well as assistants Violet and Cora, but the production only gives slight spools of personal information as the audience goes into different chambers, discovering for themselves what’s really behind Dr Mackenzie’s programme.
And it’s all excellently handled. Every aspect, from the direction, writing and design to the performances, is perfectly executed. There’s a wonderful balance to everything, from the playful to the downright sinister, that ensures the production is a constant theatrical treat; one truly doesn’t know what’s around the next corner or what’s in store for the characters—particularly young Beatrice, who’s about to discover her entire life is not what it seems.
Catherine Wheels has, in short, created a production that is
a triumph. Perfectly pitched, it gets the emotional journey just right: light,
even jovial, in the beginning but dark and insightful at the end. It confronts
major themes, mainly focusing on the suppression of young women and the control
parents wield over their children, but it never feels heavy-handed or forced,
and it flows fluently without a bump in its 75-minute running time.
It might be easy for some to write-off performances geared towards young people as subpar to ‘serious’ and ‘adult’ drama, but do so at your own peril as this just might be the most creative, passionate and insightful production a Scottish theatre company has produced in years. Do not miss this.
The Voice Thief performs at Summerhall until November 15. Check website for specific dates and times.
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