James Karas
The Greeks had it right. After a
trilogy of tragic plays in Ancient Athens, people needed a freewheeling comedy,
a burlesque, something really light. The Royal Shakespeare Company has done
something similar this year in Stratford-upon-Avon. Beside the
head chopping, murders, mutilations, assassinations and stabbing in plays like Titus
Andronicus, Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, they provide
something strictly for laughs. And it is based on Roman comedy which, as the
whole world knows, was based on Greek comedy!
Centre: Felix Hayes as General Braggadocio and
company. Photo: Pete Le May © RSC
The play is Vice Versa by Phil Porter and it is a wild comedy based on
(make that pilfered shamelessly) from the plays of Plautus. You may not have
seen too many of his plays on stage which is understandable because they are almost
never produced. But you have some idea if you have seen A Funny Thing Happened on the Way
to the Forum.
Let’s start with the full title:
Vice Versa (or The Decline and Fall of General Braggadocio at the Hands of his Canny Servant Dexter
& Terence the Monkey).
Is that clear?
General Braggadocio is of course the braggart soldier,
a stock character in comedy, who is in love with himself
and thinks the whole world shares his feelings. In Vice Versa we have Felix
Hayes, oily hair slicked down and ready to brag. Along with the jokes, bad
puns, singing, anachronistic references and riotous tomfoolery we need a plot.
But first the characters, and pay attention to the names:
Braggadocio has three servants. Dexter (the irrepressible Sophia Momvete), Feclus (Steven Kynman) and Omnivorous (Byron Mondahl). We
also have Terence the monkey (Jon Trenchard). We need lovers and have Valentin
(Geoffrey Lumb) and the delectable Voluptia (Ellie Beaven).We have a neighbour
in Philoproximus (Nicholas Day) whose servant is Impetus (Laura Kirman) and
frequent Climax (Kim Hartman) and guess her profession.
This is a hyperkinetic group that has a single aim and that is to
make us laugh. They do.
Geoffrey Lamb, Sophia Nomvete and Nicholas
Day. Photo: Pete Le May © RSC
Oh, yes, the plot. The General has abducted Voluptia who loves
Valentin, who lives next door, who sees Voluptia via the attic skylight, whom
Dexter will rescue from the General so that love will triumph because that’s what
happens in Roman (that is Greek) comedy, so there. That’s the plot which is to
say that Trump is a nice, honest chap, who does not grope, or cheat or lie but
will build a wall and make America great again. And the last line is in the
play.
The play uses earthy language which is code to some deliciously
raunchy profanities, enchanting references to bodily functions, delectable
insults and an atmosphere of riotous irreverence, energy and song.
Janice Honeyman directs the comic extravagance and if you happened
to see something like Salome or a Shakespearean heavy-duty
tragedy you will understand and appreciate why the Greeks finished the day with
a comedy that mocked and laughed at everything and booze, sex and phallic
objects were favorite features and fixtures.
_____
Vice Versa by Philip Porter continues until September 9, 2017 at the Swan Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. Box Office: 0844 800 1110. www.rsc.org.uk
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