RED INQUISITION
Written and performed by Memoir Theatre Company
Flash Theatre Festival 2016
If I can’t get characters on stage when I walk in, or have a chorus, then the next best thing for me is a play within a play.
Greeted with a simple set and 1930s music playing we meet our three young aspiring actors, pleased, or not so pleased in one case, with their new rehearsal space. They discuss what their next production should be and by chance come across a book on the Hollywood McCarthy Un American Committee trials.
Through simple but effective red strobe lighting we are taken to 1946/47 at the height of the trials. Anything else here would just be a spoiler so more about the characters and their portrayal.
Without doubt, Daniel Hadjivarnava, has the most difficult role to portray; that of the writer Arthur Miller. He played the role extremely well given that the man himself had no physical cues or mannerisms to pick up on.
Ciara Goldsberry morphed into Lena Horne, herself tried and found wanting by McCarthy and his committee. We are treated to two songs both expertly sung by Ciara herself, rather than lip synched with a sound track. This was both a brave and a lovely touch. As the much loved and, ultimately blacklisted movie star, Charlie Chaplin, we had Jaryd Headley. His mimicry and physical characterisation as he danced on stage, synched perfectly with the images projected on the rear screen. All this despite Jaryd being almost a foot taller than the diminutive Chaplin who came in at just 5ft 4in tall.
This play used a lot of projection work, showing actual footage from the trials alongside authentic audio from the time. I believe this worked well and it was thoroughly and exhaustively researched to get what was needed.
This was an odd but very interesting subject for a play and in my humble opinion it worked very well. The ending was one of the best I have seen and left the audience with no doubt it was over, yet it was a subtle and a perfect cue for our applause.
A fine, well researched and very well played piece. Congratulations to you all.
mudbeast76 