Many will be familiar with the story of Brief Encounter – the latest offering by the New Vic.
A classic film starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard has been adapted for the stage by Emma Rice and has – under the direction of Paul Robinson – brought the genius that is the work of Noel Coward to the attention of a new audience.
Laura (Anne-Marie Piazza) and Alec (Pete Ashmore) are two married people who meet by chance at a railway station while waiting for their trains back home. There is an immediate spark between the two and what could have been a brief interlude in life rapidly becomes an affair that bursts into passion but is ultimately doomed, leaving the couple bereft by the finale but not before having tasted true happiness.
Thursday becomes a day of fantasy for the couple as they uncouple themselves from reality and are able to talk about their passions and dreams and allow themselves a physical pleasure clearly denied in their mundane marriages.
Unfortunately, their secretive trysts nag away at the relationship and the need to hide their love away takes its toll. The inevitable happens and the pair have to part although we see that this has devastated Laura who returns home in a heart-rending final scene.
Laura and Alec’s affair that is destined for failure is in contrast to the other liaisons in the drama. The flirty Myrtle (Natasha Lewis) eventually commits to the ever-eager Albert (Robert Jackson) and Beryl (Lara Lewis) is more than willing to succumb to the advances of Stanley (Joey Hickman).
In this respect, the play is very much an analogy for the life of Coward himself. Being alive in an age when being gay was a crime, he had to endure secretive affairs that left his love largely unfulfilled while seeing others achieve contentment in their heterosexual lives.
The production is enhanced by the inclusion of some of Noel Coward’s music with Go Slow, Johnny providing a haunting background to a touching end to Act 1.
Brief Encounter bears all the hallmarks of successful New Vic presentations. A talented cast that had the near-capacity audience enthralled throughout – mention here to Rishi Manuel who had no romantic interest but contributed well – and showed their versatility by playing multiple roles and providing all of the musical accompaniment that added to the already atmospheric background from Alex Weatherhill and Shelagh Revell.
There was light and dark included with lots of humour to leaven the passion – I found the saxophone and trombone play-off to celebrate the consummation of Myrtle and Albert’s love very amusing.
And of course, there is audience participation.
Immediately on entrance to the auditorium, the audience member is involved in the hustle and bustle of a busy rail station. If you attend enough performances at the New Vic, you will eventually be chosen to be dragged kicking and screaming into the action. Last night it was my turn and at the final bow Natasha Lewis gave me my own little ovation.
Thank you, Natasha, and the ovation is returned a hundred-fold. Brief Encounter – as they say in the song – is A Fine Romance. And don’t miss it.
Brief Encounter continues until Saturday September 10th. For ticket information, contact 01782 717962 or tickets@newvictheatre.org.uk
