Les Chroniques de Natha: Fool for Love – Found 111 (16/12/2016) ENGLISH

Or… ♫♪ Bang bang, my babyyyy… ♫♪ (well… no one was shot but that was close)

Here I am back at the Found 111 for the fourth time. Also the last as the theatre would close its doors the very next day. Although I know good things (sometimes) must come to an end, that closing down didn’t make me jump with joy. But we’ll get back to that later… Let’s talk about tonight’s play.

Fool for Love is a story of passion, of difficult and forbidden love… What ? Romeo and Juliet ? Not even close to it. Tristan and Iseult ? Nope. Oh come on, you wouldn’t want me to break the whole story to you, would you?

Let’s just say that Fool for Love explores the lives of Eddie and May as he comes back to her in her motel room, with May being sure he cheated on her with a woman that’ll remain unseen, named the Countess. As the story evolves, we will find out that there’s more than meets the eye.

The audience will also be a witness of the tension and resentment of both main characters towards each other, through words but also actions as doors are being slammed. Loudly. And repeatedly.

Eddie (Adam Rothenberg) and May (Lydia Wilson)

Written by Sam Shepard, Fool for Love was first performed in 1983 with leading roles then played by Kathy Baker and Ed Harris. Quite amusingly, the latter is in London now, playing at Trafalgar Studios in Buried Child… another Shepard’s piece of work. Today, Eddie and May are played by Adam Rothenberg and Lydia Wilson, who both appeared in the TV show Ripper Street. The two other male characters are brought to life by Joe McGann and Luke Neal.

One thing I’ve quickly noticed was the thick American accent used by the actors. Necessary since the plot takes place on the US soil. Despite not being a fan of the American accent, Rothenberg and Wilson’s voices had a ‘thing’ that caught my attention. Their way of delivering lines had me – at times – literally captivated. Eddie remembering his first encounter with May and May explaining how her mother searched for the old man and confessing her love for Eddie… that was something! During long monologues, I never forget to keep an eye on the silent characters, checking their every reactions but Eddie’s love declaration was so powerful that I completely forgot to observe what was happening around. It was even stronger with May: I was completely immersed in her storytelling… Not to mention that my jaw almost dropped on the black ground as she said the line « blew her brains right out ». Credit has also to be given to Miss Wilson for her facial expressions: some actors deliver lines fine, have the right moves but theatre is a living thing, an expression of feelings and some actors are very good on that matter. She is one of them.

Joe McGann’s character, that old man by whom all the drama happens, is a quiet, almost silent - and yet strong – presence throughout the play. He is the voice of what you may call the story’s conscience, a guide maybe… at least, until his life choices’ consequences are revealed to him.

The old man (Joe McGann)

Luke Neal’s character brings a little relief in the tense, violent exchanges of May and Eddie. His dialogues with Eddie are a contrast with Eddie and May’s that help the audience recovering from the wildness of the lovers’ hate/love relationship.

Eddie and Martin (Luke Neal)

My Fool for Love textbook mentions that “this play is to be performed relentlessly without a break”. I’ve read here and there that some thought it’d have been more enjoyable if it was a little bit longer but in the end, I prefer one short good hour than 180 long minutes of pure boredom. This hour was a great one, with an interesting story provided by a great cast on a pleasant stage.

Speaking of that, staging has always been one of Found111’s best assets. The place is so small, the room is so low that once you put your feet in it, you know you won’t miss a single thing. It is though a constant challenge for the designer-in-charge. Ben Stones had me at hello for his impeccable work on The Dazzle but I was curious about what surprises he had in store for this production. Once I entered the room, I immediately noticed the black shiny charcoal-like matter spread on the floor. Once seated – front row, facing the stage – I realized that good old pillar in the center was still there. Most likely because it is actually a bearing pillar of the former Central St Martins School of Art. Looking around, it seemed to me the room looked a little larger than before. Is it me forgetting things or did Stones decide that since it was the final production, he may as well break a few walls? At the back of the room, silent… the old man, waiting for the audience to sit.

The stage is not only a challenge for the designer but also for the director and his cast. Moving on such a small place force the actors to be much aware of their environment. Including the audience seated on a chair at barely a few feet away. In this case, Adam Rothenberg had his hands full: not throwing a chair at someone in the first row or throwing a lasso to someone’s face, for example. Once again, Simon Evans deserves a shout-out for his directorial talent: in a limited space, he has managed to work his magic in a way that many directors couldn’t probably do. Therefore I’m eager to discover The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the Donmar Warehouse in April 2017! Eurostar, hotel room and ticket are already booked!

"Where's my scalpel? Erm.. my lasso!" (Yes that's a Ripper Street reference)

One final word about the technical side of Fool for Love… the lights. Most of the time not noticed, often underrated, lighting is an aspect of theatre – as well as concerts – that cannot be taken… erm… « lightly ». Many times I’ve told myself I had a good time thanks to perfect and beautiful lights that put the band/artist under the spot… light (Damn ! Again !). It was difficult not to notice Elliott Griggs’ work on Fool for Love : neons here and there, lights coming from the back of the stage – turning the characters into shadowy figures – or May’s departure in a blast of light… loved it !

After the performance, as you get out of the room, you can’t help but take a look again at the corners of the room between the stage and the bar. Those who have been regulars are very much aware that the posters, the pieces of programs on the walls are from previous productions. They may even realize that the big panels on those walls are the very same who were displayed right above the front entrance of the building as they were played. They’re here to remind you what happened there. A little magic, maybe?

The Dazzle (10 Dec. '16 - 30 Jan. '17)

Bug (24 March - 14 May)

Leaving the theatre was difficult. I hung around for a good 15 minutes, taking pictures. My way of making sure Found 111 would somehow remain alive. The last time I’ve had that kind of melancholic feeling was in 2009 when my usual record shop closed. Until the very last second, I could simply not take my hands off that counter I spent so many hours on, chatting about music with staff members. Seven years later, it remains one of the biggest losses in my life. Because it was more than a simple building. Because it had a soul.

Those last 12 months have been an amazing experience for the Found 111 casts and teams, I’m sure, but it has also been for its audiences : the proximity you had with the actors, the stage and the action not only made us feeling like being swallowed inside the story itself but also feeling like a small piece of the whole building.

Picking up a story about love, about fools was a fine choice for a final production. Some people may have thought Emily Dobbs was a fool for jumping into such a crazy adventure but she put so much love in it that it worked more than just fine. And with Fool for Love, so close to Found 111’s first production with its story about two brothers with a mental illness who loved each other so much that they remained together ‘til the end, with its nice balance of laughters and sadness, it was a nice way to say goodbye with a bang. Of doors. Of course.

The final door (not be slammed, please)

Naming everyone involved in the Found 111 adventure is impossible. You know some people by their names on a programme but you also know there are many more, working in the dark. But… thanking them is an easy thing. And that’s what I’d like to do here by writing it down. So… thank you all. Found 111 may be gone but everytime I’ll walk on Charing Cross, I’ll sure have a look at what was an unexpected but enjoyable experience as a London addict. Sad to see it gone but looking forward to see 111’s little brother.