Revenge (Leo Wan) watches as we take our seats for this modern revival of Thomas Kyd’s bloody drama of 1587, often cited as a model for Hamlet. It offers a mirror image: instead of a son taking revenge for the murder of his father, a father, Hieronimo, takes vengeance on the Spanish court on behalf of his slain son. Here Hieronimo is played as a woman: Rebecca Crankshaw quietly rages like a tiger who has lost her cub.
With Revenge stalking the stage, agitating the protagonists into bloody deeds, this is a play haunted by death. In Dan Hutton’s production, played out on Lizzy Leech’s effective design, we see the ghosts lurking like shadows behind plastic curtains. It’s neatly handled, as is the play-within-a-play vengeance scene, which is given a modern twist in case we need reminding that this is no dusty old tragedy. When people cannot secure redress, they take matters into their own hands – in any era.
There’s plenty that’s inventive and good, including sound design by Kieran Lucas that you feel as much in your guts as you hear it. The storytelling is clear and the text benefits from being spoken in conversational fashion, even if on occasional it sounds as if everyone is delivering a very urgent telegram. It leads to some vocal monotony which reflects the young cast’s lack of experience. Some of the characterisations are colourless too, perhaps deliberately so: these people are puppets caught up in a drama for which they think they know the script, but don’t.
It doesn’t quite come off, but the production is an eye-catching calling card for Hutton – and an evening that points up the fact that revenge knows no end. This Spanish Tragedy is set in a hellish abattoir. Hutton suggests we all live in it.
• At the Old Red Lion, London, until 5 March. Box office: 0844-412 4307.
