Review of 'The Maddening Rain'

'The Maddening Rain'

Written by Nicholas Pierpan

Directed by Matthew Dunster

Old Red Lion Theatre

31/08/2010 - 18/09/2010

*A darkly comedic look at the City’s final, pre-recession glory days.

Money is a game in Nicholas Pierpan’s new one man show ‘The Maddening Rain’, which tells the story of the economic crisis from the perspective of an unlikely ‘City boy’. Following its protagonist’s rise from disgruntled bank teller to financier on a £400,000 per year bonus, actor Felix Scott quips that the result of the recession was that ‘no one would lend us money to play with’. ‘It’s a big storm. It’s going to fuck things up for awhile. You’ve just got to ride it out and try to make some money while you do,’ are the sage words of his boss. Meanwhile, Felix Scott’s character does ride it out, he does make money, and in the process he readily betrays everyone in his path. The only distraction from accumulating wealth and status is an unlikely encounter with his teenage girlfriend, and what ensues as a result is the spark of his professional and personal ruin.

Felix Scott is engaging and likeable in his role, and he tackles head on the challenge of supporting the weight of the play squarely on his shoulders. Particularly in moments when he portrays his boss, Andy, he displays raw emotional intensity and vulnerability. Likewise, the tenderest moments come when his character is discussing feelings of isolation, and exploring the magnetic pull he feels to his former life and love. Humour is also well utilized, and Felix Scott has excellent timing where this is concerned.

The two main drawbacks for the production are its length and set design. With a runtime of just under 90 minutes, and without an interval, the piece struggles to maintain attention throughout. Although Nicholas Pierpan’s script is engaging, some consolidation would be appreciated in order to cut down on the duration. Secondly, Alison McDowall’s set is very appealing, but it does not serve Felix Scott well and is not practical for the Old Red Lion Theatre. The majority of the space is occupied with a replica of an office, which is accurate and useful in creating the environment, but which renders the large portion of the stage unusable. Felix Scott is left with only a very small amount of bare stage to play. Further complicating this problem is Matthew Dunster’s direction, which finds his actor standing centre stage for the bulk of the time, with his hands firmly in his pockets, while an unused set looms behind him. A set which is more interactive would add variation and visual interest and would allow Felix Scott an opportunity to explore more emotional levels. More importantly, it would give the piece some greatly needed variation.



As a side note, Nicholas Pierpan’s ending to ‘A Maddening Rain’ is well constructed and interesting, but it doesn’t fit with the progression of the rest of the text. The conclusion of the play, although well acted, left more questions than answers. Ultimately, this is a well acted piece with promise, and a few minor changes would go a long way towards improving it further.

Playing August 31st through September 18th at the Old Red Lion Theatre, London.  Review written by Megan Hunter for Fringe Review: http://www.fringereview.co.uk/.  3 Stars.