Compelling and evocative piece includes
shadow puppetry. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Taking
its name from its German origin, Erlkönig ("Alder
King"), The
Erlking is depicted in various forms from poetry (Goethe) to music (Schubert).
It is described as “a malevolent creature which haunts
forests and carries off travellers to their deaths”. (Wikipedia) Further Wikipedia exploration reveals
the interesting information that most of the pilings
that form the foundation of Venice were made from alder trees … but I digress.
The
smell of alder trees and their foliage forms an important catalyst in The Erl King, a horror
story, originally written by John Connolly and adapted for the stage and
performed by Marc Kay with technical assistance from Bryan Hiles, who also
directed the piece.
We are in England, during the Second World
War. The stage setting features three skeletal trees and the puppet booth which
the same creative team put to such good use in the hilarious A Guide to the Theatre. However, this
time around, it is used in a very different mood and context.
Marc Kay takes on the persona of David –
both as an adult and a child. His eloquent opening speech states that this is a
“honeycomb world”, full of “deep mines and caves” and that “stability is an
illusion, as below the surface there are cracks and fissures.” Devastated by
the death of his beloved mother after a long illness, David battles to come to
terms with her loss. He tries to imagine her situation in a coffin by wedging
himself under his bed, only to become trapped before he can extricate himself.
This is a memorable scene that will surely imprint itself on most people’s minds.
He eventually builds a good relationship
with his father who constantly reminds him not to talk to strangers, particularly
men. However, further emotional turmoil results when his father informs him
that he is to marry again. To Rose, a woman who was the administrator in the “Not
Quite Hospital”, as David refers to the place where his mother was under care.
He blames Rose for not caring enough for his mother and was perhaps responsible
by default for her death.
This situation reminds us how important it
is to incorporate children gently into a new parental relationship and to make
sure they do not feel excluded when there is an offspring from this union.
David loves wandering in the woods – mainly
alder trees – and it is here that he comes across The Erl King. In this presentation,
the creature has distinctly homosexual tendencies and preys on beautiful young
boys. Promising “pleasure and toys until the day you die”, the only way to
avoid the creature’s advances is to give it the opportunity to destroy another
being.
Apart from being a very compelling and evocative
piece with its shadow puppetry, this production has strong educational value on
many levels.
The
Erl King features impressive creature design by
Peter Court and shadow puppets by Bryan Hiles, Clare Mortimer and Marc Kay.
The Erl
King runs at the Seabrooke’s Theatre at Durban High
School until June 23. Performances nightly at 19h30 (excluding Mondays).
Tickets R75 booked through Ailsa on 083 250 2690. – Caroline Smart
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