I can't remember how I first came to read Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle; no doubt it was recommended to me, or I found it on a list of coming-of-age 'Must Reads'. I do remember, however, reading it while I was on the other side of the world and craving the lush English countryside and rain and missing home. This production evokes that verdant vitality with aplomb, not only capturing the castle, but also Smith's love story to her country and its inhabitants.
Subtitled 'A New British Musical', this version of the original text has been adapted by Teresa Howard (book and lyrics) and Steven Edis (music) who it seems have worked tirelessly together to create this 'homage to English eccentricity'. Along with Shona Morris' stylish choreography as movement director, the creative team have produced a rather captivating and enjoyable show, which left me sauntering out of the theatre with a huge smile on my face and in my soul.
The set it a wonderful wooden construct made of seemingly randomly placed wooden furniture items: ladders, desks, stools and chairs which build a tower in the centre of the stage, offset by the sweeping wooden staircase; a focal point that creates the castle-like turret of the Mortmain home. The sparse feel provided by the aged sticks of furniture gives a perfect sense of the state of both the crumbling castle and the household's financial situation.
The cast work together beautifully, each movement precise and required; in-keeping with the 1930s style of dance and poise, enhanced by the gorgeous costumes which are also evocative of the era. Tied in with Edis' musical numbers (also in-keeping with the music of the time) it's hard not to enjoy this wonderful tale of Bohemian poverty and mismatched lovers.
The star of the show, our earnest, sharp-tongued narrator Cassandra (Lowri Izzard) is on-stage throughout the show, taking the audience with her as she discovers her hopes for life and, of course, love. Izzard's performance is quite captivating and I was with her every step of the way. However, this is an ensemble piece with each cast member bring his or her own spark to the show: Suzanne Ahmet's performance as Topaz is both quirky and on occasion melancholy, while her husband, James, is off-the-scale eccentric, played endearingly by Ben Watson.
While it's been a long time since I read the novel, this performance brought it to life with technicolour pizazz and reminded me why I fell in love with the Mortmain family, and their escapades, all those years ago.
