“He’s a very intense man”.
A
quote said of this play's protagonist Ivor Gurney, that relates to the production as a
whole. Along with this intensity is a
moving portrayal of the twentieth century artist.
Ivor
Bertie Gurney was born in 1890 and grew up in Gloucestershire. A composer and poet, he fought in the First
World War but sadly spent his last years in an asylum. As such, his work is often disregarded as that of a madman. This production
seeks to unveil his output and, in the process, questions the fine line
between madness and genius.
‘A
Soldier and a Maker’ is a new work of both fact and fiction by Iain Burnside. The narrative traces the life of Gurney, the script taken from his poetry and his letters and includes musical interludes from
his vocal works. Although dramatic
license has been used, this is a mostly accurate account. The first half takes place largely in the
war, juxtaposing Gurney the soldier with his colleagues at the Royal College of
Music where he studied. This creates counterpoint between the source and the perception of his work; the horror of
war and the lives of those on the home front.
This continues in the second act.
Taking place in the asylum, Gurney’s madness is treated as shellshock
but through his poetry and songs the audience can see through his psychotic
episodes to the misunderstood artist beneath.
Like Beethoven, who he is so often compared with in the script, Gurney
is a tragic hero.
The
set design is particularly impressive.
A series of images surround the stage space which collectively
represent both a war-torn environment and Gurney’s deteriorating and broken
frame of mind. Gothic and abstract, yet
equally beautiful, the changes of lighting give the impression of both oppressive foreboding and celestial brightness.
Most
impressive though is Richard Goulding’s outstanding performance as
Gurney. Though there is the odd weak
link in the cast in terms of acting, the male ensemble are particularly strong
and natural with some superb singing.
Goulding, however, holds the production together. An acting alumnus of the Guildhall School,
he is able to find lighter moments of comedy within the darkness for a
believable and sympathetic depiction of the central character that could so easily
have gone awry.
4/5
Watch: 'A Solder and a Maker' runs until the 28th April.