Review: The Masks of Aphra Behn, White Bear Theatre

Review: The Masks of Aphra Behn, White Bear Theatre

Aphra Behn, born in 1640, went on to change into the primary skilled feminine author in English, writing poetry, performs and novels. She is just not as broadly often called she deserves to be, and on listening to a few marketing campaign by the Canterbury Commemoration Society to boost a statue of her, theatre firm A Monkey With Cymbals introduced again their piece about Aphra Behn. The Masks of Aphra Behn, written by and starring Claire Louise Amias, makes use of excerpts from Behn’s work to inform us a dramatic, academic and most of all entertaining, story. We start a bit of meta, with a play…

Aphra Behn, born in 1640, went on to change into the primary skilled feminine author in English, writing poetry, performs and novels. She is just not as broadly often called she deserves to be, and on listening to a few marketing campaign by the Canterbury Commemoration Society to boost a statue of her, theatre firm A Monkey With Cymbals introduced again their piece about Aphra Behn. The Masks of Aphra Behn, written by and starring Claire Louise Amias, makes use of excerpts from Behn’s work to inform us a dramatic, academic and most of all entertaining, story.

We start a bit of meta, with a play inside a play. It is 1677 and the viewers has come to see Behn’s play The Rover. The actress, nevertheless, is indisposed. This is introduced by Behn herself, who has stepped ahead to entertain us along with her life story, asking if we knew she was additionally a spy for the Court of King Charles II? Behn regales us along with her time spying in Antwerp, her relationships and her points with cash. Spying doesn’t appear to have been a well-paid profession and he or she results in debtors’ jail. A missive to the King begging for help sees her then working as a ‘she-writer’ for the King’s theatre firm. This, and the time period ‘she-spy’ remind the viewers of a lady’s place on the planet in 1677.

The very gifted Amias switches between characters as Behn narrates after which brings in lovers, spies and even King Charles. She clearly and elegantly adjustments each voice and physique language, and her adjustments are equally entertaining, resulting in a couple of chortle. Amias, sporting a easy costume and fabulous sneakers by Anna Sørensen Sargent, embodies Aphra Behn. She is heat and charming, welcoming viewers members as in the event that they had been her contemporaries. With a sparse set, and beneath Pradeep Jey’s path, Amias performs the room effectively, which is typically a problem inside the two sides of White Bear Theatre’s black field setup. The set, a easy chair and hanging ribbons, later reveals itself to permit Behn to hold letters and paperwork representing her work.

We spend a number of time on intrigue and espionage in Holland, at instances in barely an excessive amount of element, and it might have been good to be taught a bit of extra about Behn’s writing profession. Given that she is described as lacking from the historical past of literature, it might have been fascinating to listen to extra on that, however this isn’t to detract from an entertaining and effectively offered story.

After the curtain name, Amias tells us that lower than 2% of the statues on the planet are of ladies, and directs us to the programme, which features a hyperlink to the Canterbury Commemoration Society’s marketing campaign to boost a statue of Aphra Behn – A Is For Aphra. A Monkey With Cymbals has created a implausible tribute to Aphra Behn and shone a superb highlight on this trailblazing lady. Wouldn’t a statue be a beautiful and well-deserved addition?

Written by: Claire Louise Amias
Directed by: Pradeep Jey
Produced by A Monkey With Cymbals

You can discover out extra about this play and Aphra Behn in our current interview right here.

The Masks of Aphra Behn performs at White Bear Theatre till 13 January. Further info and bookings might be discovered right here.