A Clockwork Orange directed by Alexandra Spencer-Jones
by Anthony Burgess
November 6-10 2013
Lyric Theatre, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
‘An outstanding all-male ensemble. The pure physicality and energy is astonishing. This is a show that everyone should experience.’★★★★★ WhatsOnStage
My ticket purchase was made months ago in order to secure a seat and experience this production. A mixture of anxious anticipation with the possibility of having my senses battered and overwhelmed confused me. My own experience of watching Stanley Kubrick's version had left me disturbed and horrified but in no doubt that it is an excellent movie.
Extreme Cinema - Mark Kermode speaks I highly recommend you take 4 minutes to listen to the good Doctor introducing A Clockwork Orange on Channel 4 who explains the background and why it was banned in 1971.
The simplistic black set with only a black table and chairs meant the actors used minimal props to symbolize and move the plot on. The ensemble of nine males played every role, including the female character. Dressed in black trousers and either a white vest or a black vest with contrasting black or white braces was occassionally supplemented with a sneeky pop of something orange.
Action to the World is a physical theatre company and their depiction throughout is balletic and beautiful. The implied violence through skilled choreography was enough to be explicit in the mind. The Shakespearean delivery of the dialogue using Alex and his Droogs own language evoked a terrifying and enthralling experience, luring us in to the seedy violent world of disenchanted adolescence and gang boredom.
It was utterly brilliant and without a doubt one of the best stage performances I have seen in Hong Kong.
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