56. Weak Edward - Rose Bankside

The Rose Bankside is fast becoming one of my favourite venues in London, despite all its rough and ready edges (and lack of toilets). Or perhaps it’s because of those edges, which add an indefinable atmosphere to productions – even with Weak Edward, a retelling of Edward II set in South America, demanding bright sunshine and heat, it worked because of the dark underlying tone of the play reflected by the surroundings.


It was certainly a very different experience from my last visit to the venue, oddly enough to a production of Marlowe’s Edward II itself (which I loved and may have raved about a little) – both stylistically and through it’s handling of the subject matter. Here we were given a highly stylised production infused with slapstick, circus themes and jerky choreography (and complete with its own gimp).

More interesting to me, however, was how it handled the queer themes within the story. As I said in my review of the other production, they had stripped Galveston of many of his less pleasant qualities, strengthened the love story and made Edward much more sympathetic. In Weak Edward the treatment was less simple, the farcical nature of the production included a large number of gay stereotypes – which I was constantly torn between finding funny and offensive and whilst Sebastián Concha as Eduardo is compelling throughout, he is never exactly likable as a character, asking us whether we dislike him because of his lack of responsibility or whether it’s our own prejudices speaking. Overall it was a slightly uncomfortable experience, which I think was rather meant to be the point and the production did a good job of treading the line between the two.

Mostly though I ended up thoroughly enjoying this because of a trio of excellent female characters and performances – Eleanor Appleton as Eduardo’s spurned wife Isabel, and Elizabeth Bloom as Myriam and Lisa Depuis as Beatriz taking the places of the plotting lords in the original story.  I felt almost bad that I was siding with the conspirators but the combination of their superb comic turns, some surprise lesbianism and the fact that they all looked like they were having a ball was irresistible (and added large amounts of joy at seeing strong female characters). I particularly enjoyed watching Appleton’s journey from the demure, trodden down Isabel to a ruthless dictator and clever political manipulator in her own right.

I also greatly enjoyed Dan Van Garrett as Luz representing assassin Lightborn, who switched dramatically and hilariously between his portrayal of a pot plant wielding American girl into a rough Scottish killer. Thanks to him I will also never quite be able to look at a Henry Hoover in the same way again, which is unfortunate as I work with a herd of them.

Overall this was a very enjoyable production that did make me question my and the other audience members reactions, though I did wonder if this questioning might have had a deeper impact with a more realistic, grimmer portrayal.