The Forsyte Saga: 'faultless' production with a 'pitch-perfect' cast
Theatrical adaptation of John Galsworthy's novels is a 'must-see' show
Here's a confession, said Dominic Maxwell in The Times. I've never read "The Forsyte Saga", John Galsworthy's early 20th century novels chronicling the trials and misadventures of a wealthy English family between 1886 and 1920. Nor have I seen either of the two long, luxurious TV adaptations.
Those better acquainted may find cherished bits of the saga are missing from this superb condensed version, which is adapted by Shaun McKenna and Lin Coghlan, and presented in two parts (five-hours long in total) by the Troupe Theatre Company at the Park Theatre in north London. But as theatre it's "faultless": a "must-see" production that's "sumptuous, panoramic, intense, amusing; vividly of its time yet arrestingly modern in its understanding of the games we play".
I went in anticipating a stately production, full of "fabric and furrowed brows", said Susannah Clapp in The Observer. But this terrific new version is quite "disruptive". Here, a story "so stuffed with stuff is set on an almost bare stage". Lighting, music and sound all conjure up leaps of place and era. Anna Yates's costumes "wire the action into character and epoch". And, somehow, nothing feels rushed. "The atmosphere is charged but nothing is skimped", and "the two-part play unrolls, ample and spacious".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The adaptation foregrounds two female characters, Irene and Fleur, whose fortunes are linked by one terrible incident, said Sarah Hemming in the Financial Times. The whole thing is directed "with immense skill and fluidity" by Josh Roche, and becomes a "joyous exercise in shared dramatic storytelling".
The tireless cast of nine are "pitch-perfect", said Sarah Crompton on What's On Stage. As Irene, unhappily married to paterfamilias Soames, Fiona Hampton is "still and dignified, yet suggesting constant ferment beneath the surface". Flora Spencer-Longhurst is "sophisticated, sharp and selfish" as Fleur, the evening's unreliable narrator.
As Soames, who balances "loathsome acts with tenderness and fragility", Joseph Millson is "riveting", said Dave Fargnoli in The Stage. It's a great performance at the heart of a "gripping" evening.
Park Theatre, London N4. Until 7 December
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
At least 95 dead in Spain flash floods
Speed Read Torrential rainfall caused the country's worst flooding since 1996
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Speed Read Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The World of Tim Burton: a 'creepy, witty and visually ravishing' exhibition
The Week Recommends Sprawling show at the Design Museum features over 600 exhibits from across the directors' five-decade career from early sketches to costumes and props
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
5 online spice shops that will breathe life into your cooking and baking
The Week Recommends Accessing fresh spices does not have to be a grind
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – 'cracking' sequel is a real 'treat'
The Week Recommends Villainous penguin Feathers McGraw is 'magic' in new film
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
6 exciting homes for athletes
Feature Featuring a rock-climbing wall in New York and a basketball-tennis court in Washington
By The Week Staff Published
-
Peter Ames Carlin's 6 favorite books on pop culture icons
Feature The author recommends works by James McBride, Jim Bouton, and more
By The Week US Published
-
A solo weekend in Rome and the Vatican City
The Week Recommends Slow down and enjoy the magnificent sights at your own pace
By Kaye O'Doherty Published
-
Spend a weekend in Bruges
The Week Recommends Everything you need to know for a trip to Europe's 'most photogenic' city
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
How 'Over the Garden Wall' satisfies people's desire for comfort and nostalgia right now
The Week Recommends The cult series that many people watch every fall
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published