Solaris

by David Greig from Stanislav Lem's novel

seen at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith on 31 October 2019

Matthew Lutton directs Polly Frame as Dr Kris Kelvin, Keegan Joyce as Ray, Jade Ogugua as Dr Sartorius, Fode Simbo as Dr Snow and Hugo Weaving (on video) as Professor Gibarian in this new adaptation of the 1961 science fiction novel, which has been twice adapted for the cinema, in 1972 (Tarkovsky directing) and in 2002 (Soderberg directing, George Clooney starring). Actually, I also saw an intense and strange theatrical version presented at Nottingham University in 1980.

The premise of the story is that the members of a scientific expedition orbiting the planet Solaris have strange 'visitors', taking the form of people from their past lives, which are presumed to be the attempt of the vast planetary ocean to contact the humans. The play opens with the arrival of Dr Kelvin on the station; she has arrived after the death of her mentor Professor Gibarian, who has left her some tapes; only Drs Snow and Sartorius are left. Kris Kelvin's 'visitor' is a past lover, Ray, an attractive oceanographer whom she dated in her student days but later lost touch with. (In the book and films, Dr Kelvin is male, and his visitor female.)

The Death of King Arthur

translated by Simon Armitage

seen at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse on 14 July 2015

The so-called 'alliterative Morte Arthure' is a poem composed in about 1400 in alliterative verse. A modern translation by Simon Armitage has been prepared for dramatic recitation by the poet assisted by David Birrell and Polly Frame, with musician Paul Johnson, directed by Nick Bagnall.

The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse proves an ideal location to hear the recitation of a mediaeval English poem, just as it did a few weeks ago for 'Beowulf'. Simon Armitage presents his own modern alliterative version of the original poem, with musical accompaniment (mainly percussive, with some pipes) and two actors to vary the pace and characterisation. These are essential, as his own reading style is not dramatic, but rather sing-song - effective in a narrator with this style of verse, but made all the more so with the contrasts provided by the others. David Birrell mostly gives Arthur's speeches, while Polly Frame provides some narrative, and also speeches by the Emperor Lucius and other characters.