On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco

On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco
By Chekhov, Bach, Berio and Tchaikovsky. Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord / Sydney Festival. Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House. January 22 – 25, 2014.

Chekhov’s solo monologue, On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco, begins with an old man, a smoker, berated by his wife to give a free lecture on that subject.  Nioukhine instead wanders through tangents about his bullying wife, his petty jobs slaving at her music school and his, typically Chekhovian, yearning to escape. .

By adding Nioukhine’s three daughters onstage, as a singer, pianist and violinist, France’s Theatre des Bouffes du Nord transforms this tale into a theatrical and musical gem. 

The young women begun formally, playing Bach, but are eye rolling with embarrassment, contempt and just a note of affection when Nioukhine begins his rambling intimacies. 

Octogenarian actor Michel Robin is mesmerizing as Nioukhine, a shuffling veteran of disappointment relieved with the droll wit of the dispossessed. It’s a delight to watch the impact of his confiding differently reflected in the faces of his exhausted daughters. 

Nioukhine, seemingly in fear and awe of them, coaxes the soprano (Muriel Ferraro) into full flight, but it’s Loraine Bonang’s violin solo which really drives home the nightmare. She shares his pain as she soars and scratches through Berio’s relentless scream of Sequenza VIII.  Elsewhere, with pianist Emmanuelle Swiercz, the yearning of these unhappy Russians is played out with Tchaikovsky’s Romance Op47.

Delphine Sainte-Marie’s music school set is a clutter of instruments, cases and stands, against a tatty red curtain slipping from its holding.  Christian Lacroix’ costumes finely contrast different colours and tones in his otherwise functional period dress. Director Denis Podalydes drives all with just the right pace, poignancy and total truth.

Martin Portus

Photographer: Prudence Upton

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