We saw the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Tom Stoppard's Travesties this evening.
The play set in Switzerland in 1917 is the reminiscences, faulty or otherwise, of a British Consular official of his relationships with James Joyce, Tristan Tzara and Vladimir Lenin. Woven into the play are references to Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.
I first saw Travesties in 1974 during its world premiere season when I was working in London, ironically as an Australian Consular official. My recollection of the play was that it was wordy, dull and over my head. I had just turned 25 at the time.
I was interested to see how I found the play now, 35 years later and on the verge of my 60th birthday. Well, there obviously is a big difference between being 25 and 60. This evening I was in awe of the beauty of the language, the cleverness of the ideas canvassed and the humour of the piece.
I loved it tonight. The STC production was well acted and beautifully staged. The only downside to the evening was the outbreak of a chorus of coughing from the rear of the auditorium such as I cannot recall hearing previously at the theatre. Now I understand why Marcellous comments about this phenomenon when he attends concerts at the Opera House.
I can heartily recommend Travesties especially if you are closer to 60 than 25 unless you are a more worldly 25 than I must have been.
In French, a travesti is a transvestite. The word originally meant dressing in costume to go on stage, and back in the day women's roles were played by men, so I guess that's how it morphed.
ReplyDeleteI don't know this play and it sounds worth seeing.
wcs - Interestingly the main character is a bit of a Dandy and his obsession with showy clothing is one of many running jokes through the play. I think part of the play's cleverness is that it has so many elements to it and you don't necessarily pick them all at one viewing.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite plays! Love the dialogue. I too saw it many, many moons ago & saw a production recently. It seems to me that 25yr olds today are by far much worldly than I was at that age.
ReplyDeleteOh...got to say I always enjoy your blog.
Queer Heaven - thanks.
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