The Shawshank Redemption as directed by Encore’s superb Adam Guest and peopled by an extraordinary amateur all male cast must be one of their top productions to date. Played with a very naturalistic style and executed with a high degree of credibility, it lights the blue touch paper of a claustrophobic prison in the US governed by the corrupt and cruel Warden Stammas (Kheenan Jones on top form) and his crony corrections cops Hadley (Giacomo Ciccognami) and Entwistle (Martin Holton), and slowly waits for moments of explosion.
The creative set design (Jason Kramer, Emma Kelvey and Katie Bird) featuring a grim row of doors to the prison’s cells is a flexible beast as it morphs into a variety of venues including the prison library. The lighting, music and sound add considerably to the whole atmosphere of dangerous men confined together in conditions that invoke misery and where unity and true friendships. are rare and countered by the corrections officers’ brutality and the threats of gang rape by ‘The Sisters’ chillingly acted by Luke Granger as chief predator Bogs Diamond, Jack Readyhoof as an explosive crazy-eyed Rooster and Richard Dawson as the super creepy Pinky. All of whom would strike terror into the other inmates hearts and minds and we even wonder if we are safe sat with our programmes in the dark audience space..
Red is fantastically portrayed by Phil Stanley. Red is the guy who can mysteriously get his hands on most things and sneak them into the Shawshank prison. Never a stage moment goes by when one is not drawn to Stanley’s narration and finely detailed characterisation of Red’s personality and his worn down expectations of parole. It is worth the admission price just to see his performance alone.
Perfectly cast and accented is Jason Kramer (Andy Dufresne) as the maligned hero of the piece, placed in the slammer accused of a double homicide of his cheating wife and her lover, professional golfer, Glen Quentin. Kramer brings out Dufresne’s quiet intelligence, silent cunning and a variety of realistic reactions of the horrors that befall him at the predatory hands of The Sisters and his determination in getting the better of the badass prison Warden. Whilst The Shawshank Redemption is by no means a comedy I do chuckle at Andy Dufresne’s final reasoning as to why having another prisoner share his cell isn’t a good idea. It must take some admirable stamina to play this character on stage and in particular do both shows on the Saturday.
It would be criminal to miss this production where even the smaller roles are well-realised and honestly played out. Steve Dunning is heart-breaking as the older inmate Brookes and the scene where he is about to be let out on parole is tension personified. You really believe in his portrayal and invest in his mixed feelings about being released out into Maine and beyond to start life afresh but denied the simple pleasures of owning a library card in the outside world. Harvey Tavener makes his mark as late comer to the piece, wannabe rebel Tommy who is quietly desperate to do well in his exams helped by his mentor Andy Dufresne. Daniel Bates as violent and short-tempered Dawkins and Ollie Turner as a more light-hearted Lady Chatterley fan Rico do far more than flesh out the cast of inmates and each of their characters are brought to life with plenty of human nuance, and credibility as men full of grievances, guilt and grit.
The Shawshank Redemption is adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns and based on the novella ‘ Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption’ by Stephen King. The play takes place in Shawshank prison between 1951 and 1970.
The production team advises that some audience members may find distressing: prison life and behaviour, sexual violence, strong language, themes of suicide and murder.
Encore’s next production is Next To Normal September 23rd to 26th.
To book: http://linktr.ee/encoreperfromingarts
