‘House of Ussher’

Press, 23 January 1988, Page 10

‘House of Ussher’

“The Fall of the House of Ussher.” By Steven Berkoff, from the story by Edgar Allen Poe. Directed by Lin Burton from the Side by Side Theatre at the Southern Ballet Theatre from Thursday, January 21, to Saturday, January 23. Running time: 8 p.m. to 9.10 p.m. Reviewed by John Farnsworth.

Congratulations to the organisers of the Fringe Festival for a varied and stimulating programme of events, particularly, for inviting a group of international artists who could demonstrate something of the calibre, dedication and wealth of approaches available within alternative performance work. Anyone seriously interested in theatre or performance should not miss the season. Be warned — it has nearly run its course. Unhappily, it falls to a New Zealand company to emerge as one of the weakest points in the schedule. Side by Side are a Hamilton group who seem to have tackled an impressive range of theatre works, but this play hardly shows them off to best advantage. Part of the problem is that the cast is clearly young, inexperienced and amatea} faced with a play i&at demands

crackling invention and total commitment to succeed. Based on Poe’s gloomy Gothic short story, “The Fall of the House of Ussher” strongly favours atmosphere over substance in its highlystrung depiction of physical ,and mental decay. Thus, passion, urgency, abandon and a heavy dash of Grand Guignol become the order of the day. Unfortunately, that is a lot of what this production lacks, apart from a fairly wearying earnestness and a reliance on a limited range of effects and a scratchy sound track. Altogether, it is too polite to make its mark on Berkoff’s steamy imagination. True, there are some striking tableaux and effective moments such as the opening and the painting scene, but elsewhere the pace is soggy and the mime and choreography, especially under festival conditions, far too imprecise to have sufficient atmospheric impact. All in all, the production suffers a lack of invention and a confident style. With an easier play or more experience the company may well display its strengths to better effect, this is not the vehicle to do so at present.