Dostoyevsky’s words transcend onto the stage through this new one-man show adaptation penned by Laurence Boswell and starring Greg Hicks. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the piece, to let us know if this philosophical fantasy is actually a castle in the air.
“For I have seen the truth – I have seen and I know that people can be beautiful and happy”. Before self-help books gave us the secret, shier precursors in Russian literature tackled with the issue. I’m just imagining those thanking me for that remark just proving my point. There’s not much grey in their heads, I’ll give you that – but none of it matters. Picture the end of civilization (or just look out the window, as it may be quicker). Hold that vision for a moment. Then shred it into pieces and replace it for a different world. A world where there’s no pain or sorrow. A world led by kindness instead of power. And a world where hierarchy succumbs to the force of freedom.
Dostoyevsky’s ethereal escapade has often been regarded, despite its reduced length, as the compendium of a lifetime’s body of work. A melange made out of all the principal themes featured in his prolific repertoire, his short story offers both doom and salvation to the universal zeitgeist – its corruption, so taken for granted, it’s become the purity of its essence. It’s proximity to the human soul has not been tarred by the pass of time. Forms change, but their backgrounds remain the same. The dishonesty that lurks at the back of our minds keeps latent all through the years – always finding its way to tempt us into its mischievous charm.
Words of preachment that not necessarily land, Dostoyevsky’s reflections upon how we behave as a group and the many cracks of our structure as such are nonetheless worth a hear and later thought. Updated to a modern setting, where the protagonist’s desperation stems from a lonely existence in East London (ouch!), Laurence Boswell’s revision, both as an adapter and director, manages to project the soaring rationality of the original while also make it feel grounded and relatable. A Kafkaesque depiction of an every man, the script brings up poetry, edge and truthfulness in an almost perfect balance – taking us on a journey of introspection and proximity with the viewer before flying onto its more detached, onyrical evolution.
An engaging contemplation influenced by Locke’s comments on people’s behaviour, the appeal of the adaptation itself stems from its visual allure – using a practically non-existing set, scaled down to artisinal shadow projections, travelling sounds and extremely clever lighting. It all works beautifully – creating such an inviting, graspable window into another reality, and keeping the interest high at every moment by mixing its subtle aesthetics with a compelling atmospheric tone.
In addition, Greg Hicks gives a much praiseworthy rendition in his multi-role performance (a trend we have recently grown accustomed to in both commercial and experimental productions). Boasting good recounting skills and soft, charismatic mystique in his delivery, his non-stop 75-minute portrayal is highly laudable – the only flaw coming from the way some of the non-narrator personages are interpreted, lacking sufficient difference from his main counterpart.
An insightful and, above all, entertaining sojourn into the realms of philosophy and illusion, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man comes out as a triumphant reunion with Dostoyevsky’s didactic plot. It won’t make you think as much as it will tell you what to think, as the author’s political inclinations (added to the historical and literary clout of the time) would make it impossible for its cautionary tale vibe not to pour out some way or another. But in any case, Boswell’s take accomplishes enough levels of artistic pizzazz to rise above it. And in the end, that’s all you come for.
The Dream of a Ridiculous Man plays at London’s Marylebone Theatre until 20 April. Tickets are available on the following link.