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By
Tilly Maxwell
If
you want to laugh out loud and then be brought almost to tears then
go and see "Lulu" at the OFS this week. The play was completed
in 1894 by Frank Wedekind and was never produced in his lifetime
because of the disturbing nature of the piece.
Lulu
(who goes by different names with each lover) works her way up the
ranks of men across Europe leaving murder, suicide, bankruptcy and
madness in her wake. Victoria Ross plays this demanding role fantastically
well going from "innocent nymph" to "sexual demon"
with ease. I expected the play to be more uncomfortable viewing
- explicit plays about sex not really being my thing - but I was
pleasantly surprised.
The
first half is incredibly funny - helped by wonderful performances
by Matthew Jones, Edward Behrens and Jack Ream as a few of Lulu's
lovers. In this half, even death is amusing - Ben Levine as Schoning
dies with champagne in his mouth and the audience laughs, only half
realising the meaning behind such a decadent death
The
second half brings you back to earth reminding you of the humans
beings who have been hiding beneath the debauchery. It shows that
as well as it being natural to want to make love, it is also part
of human nature to be violent.
This
is a play to see because you will laugh and then be made to consider
the reality behind the humour. I will not deny that the play is
disturbing but it won't give you nightmares and it will make you
think about the conflict between our natural desires and society's
constraints. Go and see "Lulu" and be inspired to think
on that.
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