Doctor Zhivago

Adapting Pasternak’s monumental Nobel Prize winning novel for the musical stage is a tough task. Operatic in its sweep of historic events, passionate in its psychological intensity, the book’s best known popular manifestation is David Lean’s 1965 movie adaptation with the luscious Julie Christie famously playing Lara, the doctor/poet’s muse.

Now the team lead by composer Lucy Simon (The Secret Garden) and director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys) brings great skill and 10 years of top-quality development to this musical version. Whether they have created a popular theatrical phenomenon to rival such big-novel adaptations as Les Miserables or Man of La Mancha remains to be seen.

For this Doctor Zhivago is, uncompromisingly, a very serious work. If 20^th century Russian history turns you on (as it does me) you’ll greatly enjoy the careful exposition and rich background detail. But if it’s a fun-night-out with tears mixed with laughs you’re after, this could be a long night. With a running time just under three hours, there are many moving melodies but very few light moments.

Anthony Warlow has a busy night as Yurii and the opening night audience adored him for it. Thunderstruck by his first look at the wild-eyed Lara, he pursues her over many years and over vast tracts of revolutionary Russia. Warlow sings beautifully, articulates his lyrics like no one else on stage, runs about changing costumes and facial hair at a rate of knots. No wonder he pulled a muscle!

Lucy Maunder has the near-impossible task of embodying ‘the soul of Russia’ as the ‘irresistibly beautiful’ Lara. Her scenes and songs with Warlow — notably, the moving On the Edge of Time — are beautifully done, though without the burning sexuality Pasternak’s idealised creation requires and Julie Christie so memorably embodied.

As Yurii’s rivals, Bartholomew John is splendidly corrupt; and Martin Crewes grabs every opportunity in the best role of the show as the Marxist-turned-proto-Stalinist unbedded husband of Lara. Taneel Van Zyl adds grace to the thankless role of Yurii’s staunch, long-suffering wife.

Swift-moving and packed with detail, Des McAnuff’s well-drilled production is greatly aided by Michael Scott-Mitchell’s brilliant settings. Side panels glide restlessly on and off the raked stage providing ballroom, train station, library, attic and grimly real Great War battlefield. Pinpoint-accurate lighting by Damien Cooper is never less than perfect.

It's a whole-hearted, made-with-love endeavour whose development will, I am certain, continue.

Frank Hatherley.

Images.From Top to Bottom

The cast of Doctor Zhivago, Anthony Warlow, Anthony Warlow & Lucy Maunder, Lucy Maunder & Company.Photographer: Kurt Sneddon

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