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Tuesday, 06 May 2008 |
 Abbotsford Convent
St Heliers Street, Abbotsford
(Until May 10)
Melbourne’s independent theatre community is certainly adventurous, as this production by one of our newest companies, The Hayloft Project, so admirably demonstrates.
Written for actors, a dancer and a small orchestra, Igor Stravinsky’s 1918 theatrical hybrid, The Soldier’s Tale, is rarely staged. Based on a folk story, it tells of a Soldier (Mark Winter) who trades his violin with the Devil (David Whiteley) for a book which the Devil assures will make him wealthy. It does, but the Soldier soon discovers he has lost his soul along with the violin; and while he initially outsmarts the Devil, he is soon outsmarted again, and this time, taken to Hell.
Stravinsky’s original script has been revitalised, with director Michael Robinson reworking the story by setting it during the First World War. Consequently he’s given it a few shock additions, including a gruesome opening scene, and a final scene in which the Soldier’s personal Hell is certain death on the Western Front.
Hayloft have scored a major coup in bringing in musicians from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, a dancer from Chunky Move, and actors who’ve worked with the Melbourne Theatre Company, Red Stitch, and another, newly emerged independent company, The Black Lung.
In presenting the work as theatre rather than a concert (as it is usually staged) the music and dance are returned to the drama. The traditional Narrator (Frank Gallacher) joins the actors, first as the Devil’s sidekick but later turning traitor to help the Soldier. When the Soldier finds brief happiness with a Princess (Bonnie Paskas) they dance an intensely acrobatic Tango, and later subdue the Devil in a choreographed fight scene straight out of a Sergio Leonie Western.
Stravinsky’s music is an approachable mix-up of folk, jazz and self-parody which is presented here in a performance of the highest calibre, matched by the imaginative staging. Although short, and seemingly modest, The Soldier’s Tale is a difficult piece to present; but Hayloft once again prove their ability to re-examine early 20th century theatre, and music theatre, with surprising results.
www.hayloftproject.com
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