REVIEW: Pared back and stripped back storytelling in The Mill on the Floss

The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School presented a re-imagining of George Eliot's 19th century novel in a stark, dramatic and eye catching torrent to the senses.

It all came to life on the stage at the Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre in Taunton, last night, Wednesday.

This adaptation by Helen Edmundson and directed by Paul Clarkson, gave a thoroughly modern twist to the novel which while vibrant on the page, came alive in unexpected ways and dimensions in this production.

Visions of the main character, Maggie Tulliver were all on stage together, like her conscious was walking and taking, telling her what to think and what to feel and how to react.

The stage setting was minimalistic, stripped of anything, what was needed doubled, trebled even quadrupled into different artefacts or items used in the play.

A crate become a chair, a door, a boat-the shifting scenery never allowed the eye to rest or the brain to stop thinking and wondering of what will be next.

The cast like the props doubled up in many roles.

It was an interesting way of telling a story and giving credit to the audience they were following the story rather than requiring a different actor or actress for each role.

What lay at the heart of this play and clearly the novel was two pronged.

There was the set roles men and women had in society and what was expected of each.

It was like a Berlin Wall of social etiquette and it was one which not merely constrained individuals it maintained a status quo and did not allow in Maggie’s case her chance to blossom.

Then on top of this was a love triangle.

She had a sisterly love for her brother, Tom but also loved the hunchbacked Phillip Wakem, the son of her family’s worst enemy and the charismatic Stephen Guest.

Her heart was forever with Phillip, but the tug of war between her emotions for the other two is strong as is her desire to do right.

The problem is right does not mean right for Maggie it means right of convention and maybe even for a trouble free life.

The play started with a drowning-the drowning of a witch.

But what we see is the thoughts of a child, the nine-year-old Maggie Tulliver reading a book and being immersed in words in a similar design to the witch being immersed in water.

The water which runs by the mill plays an important role in the play and is a key element in the drama.

Maggie wants to be in love with words, with ideas and dreams.

Her brother Tom has not time for words or books but would rather be an exact copy-a duplicate of his father.

The young Maggie shows hope, spirit of being different but this is crushed by the will of society and at times by herself.

One sense anything for a quiet life seems to be her strengthen at times but also her weakness as she is stifled by this judgement.

What she wants to do is live, live her life to the full on her terms but the structure of 19th century life prohibits most of what she desires.

The trio of Maggie’s are Maggie 1 (nine-years-old) : Heidi Parsons; Maggie 2 (14-years old) Holly Carpenter and Maggie 3 (19-years-old) Rosie Taylor Ritson.

Each one perfectly captured the essence of Maggie as she developed an struggled with everything she faced.

The rest of the cast were Mrs Tulliver (Karla Kaucky); Mrs Glegg (Sophie Dyke); Mrs Pullett (Moronke Akinola); Lucy Eva O’Hara; Mr Tulliver (Sam Henderson); Tom Finn (Stewart Hayman); Phillip (Amukelani Matsena); Stephen Guest/man/bailiff (Will Fletcher); Mr Glegg/Mr Stelling (Shane David Joseph); Mr Pullett/Dr Kenn (Tom Briggs); Wakem/Bob (Charlie Layburn).

To sum up, this play is a testament to youth, to youthful exuberance which abounds from the students at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

If you have the opportunity try and catch it on stage.

Further dates in Somerset are:

Thursday, June, 14: Regal Theatre, Minehead. Box office: 01643 706430

Friday, June, 22: Town Hall, Dulverton. Box Office: 01398 323818.

For further details on all tour venue go to oldvic.ac.uk