The Irish songwriting genius, Morrison, forever in to the mystic, is always good for a quote. How does the lyric pertain to this show? Easy to explain.
This production did bring a sense of wonder, the wonder of Eamon Flack’s intensely theatrical adaptation and production and , brought to life by a great cast, of Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov’s fiery vision bright that is THE MASTER AND MARGARITA.
The play’s title references The Master who is the writer of a brilliant, wildly imaginative novel, whose spirit is totally in contrast to the repressive, communist regime, (this was the time of Stalin), under which he is living.
Margarita is a married woman who, as she says countless times is married to a very good man, is smitten by the Master and his brilliance as a writer, and she leaves her husband for him. Their attachment and romance is at the spine of Bulgakov’s work.
This is a very busy production, so many different plots and subplots, characters, realities and fantasies, life and after life, heaven and hell, dreams and nightmares, devils and angels. It all happens in three hours of stage time
The cast give their all and more. Anna Samson gives a luminous, bold performance as Margarita. Mark Leonard Winter, with his wonderful mellifluous voice, plays the angst ridden The Master. Special mention to Amber McMahon as Korovye, Gareth Davies as Azazella, Marco C hiappi as Pilate and Paula Arundell as Woland. All the cast feature in the Ensemble.
Flack’s direction is inspired and his creative team excel; Romaine Harper’s objects and costume design, Nick Schlieper lit the stage with his usual brilliance, Stefan Gregory and Hamed Sadeghi’s subtle and very effective soundscape and Elle Evangelista’s choreography. There is no set to speak of, a very deliberate choice by the director, keeping things pared down, except a revolve which is used to great effect, along with some props that are brought on and off the stage by the cast.
In the end, the work is about the resilience of the human spirit. Even In the most atrocious of times, we can will ourselves on. And with the power of our imagination we can take flight.
This was intensely theatrical and passionate theatre. A genuine stand-out production for Belvoir Street Theatre under Eamon Flack’s long and very committed stewardship of this fine company.
THE MASTER AND MARGARITA is playing upstairs at Belvoir Street Theatre until the 10th December 2023.
Tickets:
https://belvoir.com.au/productions/master-margarita/
or
(02) 9699 344
Production photography by Brett Boardman
