(Rated 5/5)
I think the role
David Tennant is best known for is The 10th Doctor, and in that role
for the main ‘Ten’ is ‘Good’ and all his actions are intended to be for the
‘Greatest Good’ of humanity or even to attempt to change the hearts and minds
of the ‘Bad’ Aliens to do ‘Good’. In attempting to do ‘Good’ and save people
from ‘Bad’, later in his regeneration Ten acts for the ‘Good’ of one particular
person – saving the life of Lindsay Duncan’s character Adelaide Brooke in ‘The
Waters of Mars’ – and she then proceeds to kill herself, knowing that her death
will be for the ‘Greatest Good’ of humanity!
For me this
illustrates the fine line there is sometimes between what could be judged as
‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ and how values and morals can be distorted leading us to
question what is ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’?! This is pretty much the topic tackled by
playwright C. P. Taylor in his stage play ‘Good’. An apparently ‘Good’ man,
Halder – played by David Tennant – becomes drawn into circles and finds himself
experiencing challenging situations involving his highly disabled mother and anxious
wife, which lead to him being seduced by the now clearly terrifying thinking of
the Nazis. The disturbing aspect of which is that within the words and
arguments of Taylor’s characters, we as audience can start doubting ourselves
and our own – we hope – clear distinction between ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’. For me the
production of the play and use of just two actors to play the parts of all the
other characters interacting with Halder, also adds to this blurry theme and in
trying to distinguish and separate arguments and characters, we can go into a
state of confusion. I confess that is what happened to me while watching Act1.
I found myself trying to follow the points and views and becoming mixed up in
my mind. As she will know, I asked my theatre companion for this show, if she
had ‘understood’. I imagine that is deliberate by originally the writer and
also director, Dominic Cooke.
For me the play
comes across as a psychological stream of consciousness in the mind of Halder with
little snippets of scenes of interactions/manipulations between him and the
other ‘real life’ characters, chopping and changing all the while between his
thoughts and actual conversations. The lack of clear distinction is supported
by the supporting actors Elliot Levey and in this day’s production ‘1st
cover Helen’ Edie Newman playing Jewish friend to Halder, Maurice and other
characters, and wife, girlfriend to Halder and other characters respectively.
Important to pay attention – note to self as I didn’t as much as I wished I had
– or you might get lost 😉
That said both Elliot and Edie were brilliant – as Ten might say – in switching
between roles. I was actually particularly impressed by understudy Edie
switching between anxious wife, seductive student/girlfriend, vulnerable needy
mother and even a military man! I also enjoyed that Elliot used me at least
twice as his audience focus. At one point in the play – and I should mention
myself and theatre companion were front row stalls in the middle – Elliot and
David were in discussion sitting at the very front of the stage – I could have
reached out with my walking stick and easily touched them – and with me and
companion both hands up to our chins thinking about the ‘debate’ they were
having – Elliot looked right at me and I could see each individual tear coming
from his eyes and down his face. So powerful! In fact, I also sensed and
realised how in tune me and my theatre companion were in taking sips of our
Harold Pinter Package champagne and adjusting position in our seats etc. At one
point close to the end though, I was so relaxed down in my seat with feet far
out in front of me. Thankfully, I noticed as an actor – who initially I thought
was a member of the audience – walked from stage right to left, and I rapidly
sat up again with feet under me lol! Just in time not to trip him up!
David Tennant
has become so ‘Good’ at playing ‘Bad’ – will that be the last time I use those
terms – eg in ‘Des’ as serial killer Dennis Nilson - that it is no surprise
whatsoever that he is excellent in this role. Disturbingly ‘Good’ – whoops no
not the last – but it’s a testament to all three performers that for me there
was absolutely no distinction – yep that word again too – in talent. I loved
that at curtain call David and Elliot both indicated Eddie for specific
applause. She was so ‘Good’ – lol – an understudy I wonder how ‘Good’ – okay
maybe I need to stop – Sharon Small was. I’m unlikely never to know as I doubt
I will see it again – even though I genuinely feel I missed a lot of specifics
in dialogue that could be very interesting to read over and unpick. It’s for
sure a highly thought-word-processy drama. I won’t say anything about the plot
as even to say a little sort of gives things away, but suffice to say in the
main it is set in a set looking like a prison in Frankfurt between 1933 and
1942. And the end is… chilling!
Excellent play,
superb production, but maybe not for Christmas as such 😉
Good – Review by
TheRestrictedReviewer © 2022
