Tag Archives: David Hywel Baynes

“Macbeth” at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden

Iris Theatre is celebrating its ten year anniversary, at the so-called ‘Actors’ Church’, with a production of Shakespeare’s Scottish play that is ambitious, adventurous and immersive. Director Daniel Winder shows an energetic appetite for the play that is infectious and gets the most out of his talented team.

The production goes all out for the supernatural, with creepy costumes by Anna Sances and a satanic angle that gains potency from being performed in a church. And there’s no shortage of gore either: the Macduff family massacre comes with a PG warning. Having Macbeth attend is a great idea and his frenzied attack a shocker.

David Hywel Baynes, making a welcome return to both the company and the UK, takes the title role and is joined by Iris Theatre stalwart Nick Howard-Brown as Banquo. The two command the various spaces, of church and gardens, that the audience travel around scene by scene.

As well as displaying technical prowess, Hywel Baynes’ interpretation of the murdering monarch is also strong. Joined by Mogali Masuku as his wife – making a professional debut that’s a resounding success – we see Macbeth manipulated, then degenerate into a man drunk and dribbling with blood lust. Masuku’s Lady Macbeth is frightening and sexy (look out for Stephen Boyce’s roving eye when playing Duncan) but then scared by her spouse. It’s an emotional journey from both performers that is well delivered.

There’s good supporting work from the whole cast, but sometimes a danger of distraction in how many roles just six performers tackle. Matt Stubbs is a convincingly virile Macduff and transforms into a hired assassin superbly, and some of the doubling is interesting (Masuku also plays ones of the witches), but focus can be lost with all the changes – the production feels trapped by its small headcount.

The biggest commendation goes to set designer Alice Channon – despite the fact that her ideas cause problems. The outdoor spaces are strictly sectioned off – a bold move with a promenade performance since an audience is seldom as nimble as hoped. The start of too many scenes might be missed. But the idea is great: slowly filing past a tableau of the Macbeths’ bedroom on the way to the interval and the audience rushing into the church for the finale are electric moments.

Taking Hieronymus Bosch as inspiration is a brilliant move – providing an intelligent period aura and surreal chills. The subsequent Bosch-Banquo-banquet makes less sense than it should (more a psychological crisis than a point about Macbeth’s leadership) but it looks stunning. Amorphous sculptures, with a touch of Eva Hesse, contain loud speakers playing composer Filipe Gomes’ impressive contribution to the evening – indicative of designers taking any opportunity to make a mark. There are flaws, yes, but also exciting work.

Until 29 July 2017

www.iristheatre.com

Photo by Nick Rutter

“Richard III” at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden

With many theatregoers anticipating Martin Freeman’s forthcoming turn as Richard III, Iris Theatre have stolen a lead by presenting their own version, which opened last night. Based at St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, the promenade production uses both the grounds and the building’s acoustics superbly. As an audience member you will bustle around, and even be asked to march, as part of an engaging and intimate show that’s carefully directed by Daniel Winder.

The actors have to deal with a lot of background noise at St Paul’s, and it leads to a rather declamatory style. It becomes a little tiresome, but it’s churlish to complain since you can hear every word, and that’s the important thing. The scene-setting prelude from Henry IV Part III also adds clarity. If the play becomes overblown, with Richard’s villainous plotting increasingly elaborate, then Winder embraces this well: there’s plenty of blood, an eye for the supernatural and a gruesome final tableaux that’s simply spectacular.

The small cast of eight works incredibly hard. There are the inevitable moments of confusion when cast members reappear as different characters and some of the changes are unfortunate. Sam Donnelly and Laura Wickham do well to establish Edward VI and Elizabeth as a loving couple and Mark Hawkins gives a brave performance as the deposed Queen Margaret. Much stress is placed on the fruition of Margaret’s curses by Winder; it’s an insightful perspective which could stand to be explored further.

David Hywel Baynes takes the lead role. His is a traditionally ‘misshapen’ Richard, complete with an old-fashioned hump. What marks out his portrayal is the interactive element. Addressing the audience, helping them to move around and even sitting with them, his contact with the crowd is masterfully done and makes us complicit in his ‘secret mischiefs’. This Richard is a cheeky, cheerful conspirator – a clever way to show us the bad guy’s charisma. Even better is the way he develops the character when he becomes king; his increased menace and mania adds to the drama. Hywel Baynes is head and shoulders (or should that be hump?) above some members of the cast. His performance alone makes the production an easy one to recommend.

Until 25 July 2014

www.iristheatre.com

Written 1 July 2014 for The London Magazine