London Coliseum, 30 September 2013

We have come to expect challenge from a Christopher Alden production and there may possibly have been a sense of relief among many that, for most of the evening, we were not asked to work too hard to enjoy his approach. The narrative, centred on Freudian Vienna, moves from the decadent end of the nineteenth century to the puritanism of the early fascist movement. As part of this, Frosch moves from the conventional drunken jailor to an epileptic neo-Nazi who eventually takes over the prison as the party-goers are cowed into submission.

If this all sounds rather humourless it certainly wasn’t for most of the evening. The opening scenes, with a bed straight out of Der Rosenkavalier, work very well and the interchange between characters, while distanced by the framing narrative, are never less than real. Alden has a way of making the action credible while ensuring we reflect upon it, rather than indulge ourselves.

He is excellent at pin-pointing stereotypes for us. Adele, a Welsh maid in the opening scenes, morphs easily into a Louise Brooks vamp for act two. Rhian Lois has both the voice and the looks for this and she carried both with style. Tom Randle and Julia Sporsen as the Eisenstein’s not only spark off each other but seem to have a far more secure relationship than is often the case.

Jennifer Holloway’s Orlovsky is a neurotic mess, crawling about and readily adopting a foetal position whenever under threat.

Above all of the action lurks Richard Burkhard’s ever present Falke. Not only is he the Freudian master of the revels but he frequently takes notes from his patients as the plot evolves. Whenever, conventionally, a character speaks to the audience, here they are speaking to their therapist – it works surprisingly well.

Simon Buttereiss brings his usual gift for characterisation, and the even greater gift for clarity of diction, as Dr Blind, being asked to do far more, and reveal far more, than most Dr Blind’s are ever called to do.

The chorus are splendid throughout and subtly turn the Brudermein scene into something rather more sinister in its hints of sexual laxity.

Eun Sun Kim drives her orchestra hard though there were some minor slips on the first night which will presumably settle quickly.

The approach may be challenging but that should not put anyone off – there is a great deal here to enjoy. BH