London’s theater scene saw a disappointing week, despite the involvement of high-profile names like Steve Coogan, Lily Collins, and Ruth Negga. The productions of Dr Strangelove, Barcelona, and Quiet Songs failed to live up to their star power, leaving audiences underwhelmed.
Coogan & Co. Squander Talent in Strangelove Adaptation
In a surprising misfire, the dream team of Steve Coogan, Armando Iannucci, and Sean Foley delivered a lackluster adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s classic Dr Strangelove. While Coogan’s performance was commendable, taking on multiple roles originally played by Peter Sellers, the production itself lacked imagination and risk-taking.
There is no lack of accomplishment, but an extreme lack of adventurousness: a show about risk itself takes none.
– According to a close source
The adaptation stayed too close to the original script, with only minor tweaks to update the humor for modern sensibilities. The result was a tepid cartoon of current events rather than a visionary satire.
Collins & Morte Flounder in Flim-Flam Barcelona
Director Lynette Linton’s decision to stage Barcelona, starring Lily Collins and Álvaro Morte, was a puzzling one. The play, described as “star-driven flim-flam,” offered little substance for its talented cast to work with.
Collins and Morte portrayed flat, stereotypical characters – an American party girl and a smoldering Spaniard – who inexplicably change each other’s lives over the course of a single night. Despite some atmospheric set design, the emotional stakes remained low throughout.
Negga Shines in Muted Quiet Songs
Ruth Negga delivered a remarkable performance in Quiet Songs, a trance-like hour-long piece about a bullied gay adolescent. Negga’s talent shone through, even as the material kept her confined to a state of rapt absorption.
Negga is remarkable in Quiet Songs, though I wish she were appearing in something that stretched her beyond rapt absorption.
– According to a theater critic
The production incorporated avant-garde elements, with weapons used as musical instruments to evoke the protagonist’s fractured psyche. While the images were memorable, they felt isolated, belonging in a larger drama.
A Week of Wasted Potential
This week’s theater offerings in London demonstrated that even the most talented actors and directors can be undone by weak material and uninspired choices. As audiences, we can only hope that future productions will make better use of the immense talent at their disposal.
