📍Old Vic Theatre, The Cut,
London SE1 8NB (Nearest London Underground station: Waterloo)
Writer: Mike Bartlett
Director: Rupert Goold
Set design: Miriam Buether
Lighting design: Neil Austin
** Book tickets ** (Until 28 May 2022)
Pictures: Marc Brenner
Did I want to watch something that could feel like I’m not *actually* escaping the real world? As is normally the case when I usually plonk myself down in a darkened auditorium. Now, The 47th is set in the not-too-distant future of 2024 with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris nearing the end of their 2020 USA Presidential term, and what may happen if Donald Trump runs again.
I was rather unsettled when I first saw the production shots cropping up online of Bertie Carvel as the former President of the USA. The face make-up, the expression – it just *screamed* TRUMP! And boy, I really wasn’t disappointed. For starters, the sheer genius in character study – and hats off to Mr. Carvel, winner of Two Olivier and Tony awards – for it was sheer perfection. His mannerisms were spot on, and beyond the party-trick impression it felt like the real deal was in the auditorium (scary, at moments!). This performance is mirrored by Tamara Tunie – whose Kamala Harris is strong-willed, and a level-headed player who has to step up when a Joe Biden falls ill… after a strange handshake moment.
The action on stage is delivered on a round circular stage which has really come into the proscenium arch stage – the rows start from D, so the seating plan has been changed to accommodate the design. At times, it used in such a clever ways, alternating between golf course track where we meet Trump as well as a Presidential meeting. I did find that the video footage of the action (presumably to show those patrons at the Bayliss Circle what was happening on stage) – at times, rather distracting from the action on stage. The lighting in the scenes for the political rally was really striking, and kept me constantly focused on the action centre-stage.
Overall, I’d really recommend this if you’re a fan of politics – or even if you’re not, you’ll take something from this piece of theatre. It may well be one that may dissolve into complete irrelevance, but it would equally not surprise me if it becomes a period piece studied and re-interpreted for decades to come.
RATING: **** stars
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