Chartists Rising
Written By: Sam Dowling
Presented By: Praxis Theatre Laboratory
The Space, Isle of Dogs
14/10/2009-31/10/2009
and
The Rose Theatre, Bankside
17/10/2009-20/10/2009
*The ideals of equality and loyalty meet with the ultimate betrayal in Victorian London.
"Chartists Rising" is a tale of ordinary people, struggling against unthinkable poverty and oppression, who band together and rise up against a corrupt governmental system. This is a fight for equality, for fair working conditions, and for the right to vote. It is a passionate and intimate play set in the heart of Victorian London, performed by a skilled cast, and presented for part of its run at a truly historic venue.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of Bankside, down a quiet side street, sit the remains of the first Elizabethan theatre constructed along London’s Thames. The Rose Theatre was built in 1587 but was largely forgotten until contractors performing building works stumbled upon the site in 1989. A campaign to save the remains was launched by well-known public figures including Laurence Olivier, and The Rose finally reopened to the public in 1999 after a nearly four hundred year dormancy.
The performance space at The Rose is vibrant and highly intimate. Set on a balcony overlooking the original remains, there are less than fifty seats in total and the actors perform, at times, only a few feet from their audience. This intimacy lends itself perfectly to Sam Dowling’s new play "Chartists Rising", which tells the story of Nineteenth Century British revolutionaries as they prepared to wage war on their government for fair working conditions and an end to class induced poverty. As a resolution to their grievances, these men and women presented a six-point charter, later to be known as The People’s Charter, and launched one of the first mass working class labour movements of their time.
The limited space of The Rose harkens the feeling of the pub and coffee house meetings that ignited the spark of Victorian labour revolution. Amidst the plotting and militant rhetoric, the actors are able to engage the audience in their revolutionist plans and to include them as fellow militants. Rallying with placards and the distribution of chartist flyers help to convey the urgency and passion of the movement, as do vocal interludes. They boldly proclaim, “All we have is our own passion, our anger, and our belief in the charter”. Almost immediately, it is understood that this uprising is a matter of equality, and that the characters are willing to give their lives for this ideal. As the play progresses, paranoia and desperation infiltrate the group with tragic consequences.
As George Davis, Gareth Radcliffe portrays his subject’s contradictions and demons admirably. Maria Straw-Cinar’s Mary-Anne is unquestionably loyal to her husband, Bill, and moments with all four actors on stage discussing their commitment to the charter play particularly well. Ultimately, though, the relationship between Frey Le Maistre’s Paul and Tony Mcpherson’s Bill brings the performance its much-needed humanity and sensitivity.
Sam Dowling’s script is not lacking in passion, but where it does fall short is in the lack of back-story and personalization for its characters. We are in no doubt of their passion for the chartist movement, but clearer exposition and a greater sense of their personal attachments to it would be useful. Additionally, moments of characterization bordered on the caricaturesque, with some movement lacking clear motivation and personal relationships needing more warmth and depth. By infusing the text with more emotional layers, Dowling’s actors could build further on what is already a good and interesting start. This is undoubtedly a skilled cast with a clear dedication to their subject matter, and the production is a fascinating look at a pivotal moment in British history. 3 Stars.
Playing October 14th through October 31st at The Space, Isle of Dogs, and October 17th through October 20th at The Rose Theatre at Bankside. Review written by Megan Hunter for Fringe Review: http://www.fringereview.co.uk.
