.jpg)
Michael Cox reviews the theatrical celebration of a modern Scottish icon.Confession— prior to seeing Pachamama Production’s Grit: The Martyn Bennett Story, I hadn’t heard of Bennett or any of his music. If I’ve carried anything away from seeing it, it is that I wish I’d known of him sooner.
The production, a multi-media exploration of Bennett’s life and music, is slick stuff. It has an interesting design with a fragmented set, rich lighting and video projections that practically jump out from the back, all underscored with Bennett’s music, pumped out loudly in order to feel it as much as hear it. It also has a terrific cast, with Sandy Grierson playing the titular musical genius, Hannah Donaldson giving emotional depth as Martyn’s wife, Kirsten, Gerda Stevenson playing Bennett’s mother (and other smaller roles) and an ensemble who dance, jump, fly, walk the trapeze and serve as a chorus.
It looks amazing, to which director Cora Bissett should be given much credit; at nearly two hours, the time whizzes past with one hypnotic moment of theatrical wonder after another.
And yet, for all of its staging grandeur, the production feels like it’s missing a beating heart when things simmer down to tell the story. The script feels more like an exercise in connecting the dots, working as a staging of an entry from an encyclopaedia and not offering much drama. What it’s missing is an aspect Bennett observes when admiring the work of a DJ in a scene set in a club: tension and release.
It’s a shame because there really is much to admire, even love, here. Since seeing the production I have listened to Bennett’s album Grit half a dozen times and like it more with each listen. So, while the production might not be the great exploration of Bennett’s life and impact it clearly wants to be, it certainly works well as a way of exposing new audiences to his music. Which is good—just not good enough.
Run ended.
RSS