A Twickenham theatre is bringing a new twist to a play about one man’s descent into the chaos of moral conflictions in Nazi Germany.
The Mary Wallace Theatre is showcasing CP Taylor’s Good this week, which sees protagonist and liberal-minded professor John Halder become insidiously drawn into the Nazi movement.
Play director Clare Cooper has given her own slant on the story with some innovative musical impositions, designed to illustrate Halder’s slow journey to insanity due to the horrors of war, with a mock nightclub serving as the set.
She said: “So much of the play is Halder’s memories, the way he has perceived it to be, and a nightclub just seemed the right location.”
The story is not told chronologically, as it is a purposefully messy recollection of Halder’s memories.
It tells the tale of a man who refuses to face the heavy consequences of his actions, his descent into evil, and the blurred lines between good and bad.
Peter Hill, who plays Halder, said: “The songs all carry lines, which are really perfect for what’s going on for him at that moment.
“Whether it’s his feelings of being a failure, or of being in love, some of the really, powerful moments, particularly towards the end when his life has fallen to pieces.
“And he’s realising what he’s got himself into, the music that plays…[it] just totally changes everything.”
The play is complex, featuring myriad of locations and switches between reality and Halder’s mind.
Cooper and Hill explained the importance of backstage organisation, especially with a rapidly-developing plot like that of Good.
Cooper said: “Although Halder is playing the main part, it is actually up to the other characters in his life to produce that energy and produce those memories for him.
“I think that’s what makes it so interesting.”
Despite challenges over Christmas and working out the logistics of the play, they both acknowledged how exciting it is to be in the moment and how it’s a real team effort.
Hill said: “Halder talks a lot to the audience directly, and to be up on stage, sharing someone’s thoughts and telling their story is just a privilege.
“When it’s so well written, it is a real privilege.”
Good is being performed between Saturday 24 January and Saturday 31 January, and tickets are available via the Richmond Shakespeare Society website.
Feature image: Mary Wallace Theatre
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