Review: UNDERDOG: THE OTHER OTHER BRONTE, The National Theatre (Dorfman)
Isha Shah
Listen up Besties Charlotte Brontë is here! Wait, scratch that the Brontë Sisters are here and they are ready to tell their story as you've never heard it before.
The year is 1845 and misogyny is the norm. Women should know their place and that place is certainly not as a published author. However, the Brontë Sisters: Charlotte, Emily and Anne are here to change that using their pseudonyms Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell to fool the men and have their work judged fairly. This is a well-known story in the literary world and beyond but playwright Sarah Gordon has reimagined it for the modern audience. Directed by Natalie Ibu the pair have well and truly transported the Brontës into the 21st Century which makes for an sensational and shocking evening of theatre.
Love, legacy and literature are at the centre of Underdog: The Other Other Brontë; as are the Brontë sisters played by Gemma Whelan, Adele James and Rhiannon Clements in age order. They are a formidable trio capturing the tumultuous nature of sisterhood. The other other Brontë in the title refers to Anne (Clements) but Charlotte (Whelan) is our storyteller standing front and centre to break the fourth wall and confess her sins. Whelan is brash but charismatic. At times her performance is verging on a caricature as her Yorkshire accent grows a bit too broad, but this indulgence is befitting for her larger than life portrayal of Charlotte which is compelling and also emotional at times. In comparison Clements is natural and nuanced as the youngest sister Anne striving against the odds to make her way in a world not designed for or desiring of women’s success. Adele James unfortunately gets less stage time than her sisters as Emily is sidelined by Charlotte’s obsession with Anne. However in this play about jealously, competition and women supporting women she is an essential pillar in promoting these themes.
One of the shining qualities of Underdog: The Other Other Brontë is its confidence in its message and how it wants to share it. This is a play about the power of words and Ibu has chosen hers carefully. Underdog: The Other Other Brontë is witty, intelligent and playful but loses none of its power through the hilarity. This is a show that is not afraid to be silly. Atmospheric sound design by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite is paired with a few modern day girl power anthems. The set and costumes designed by Grace Smart are simple yet incredibly effective. The male chorus are able to transform in a moment the highlight being Nick Blakeley as the spiteful Mrs Ingram and Elizabeth Gaskell, Charlotte Brontë’s first biographer. The stage includes a sleek revolve but also uses techniques which would be at home in an amateur production. These elements are equally endearing and funny, in particular the opening of act two when coconut shells are used to accompany a particularly long carriage ride to London.
One can imagine, but will not presume, that gender might divide the reception to this play. However, this would cement the importance and relevance of the piece and its success in capturing the experiences of women through history. That being said, the elements of competition and comparison are not reserved only for the fairer sex and through James Phoon’s portrayal of Branwell Brontë we can view Underdog: The Other Other Brontë as a wider commentary on how society receives art. This play is not intended to be a history lesson but in the final moments as Charlotte steps into a glass display case the narrative of judgement becomes too overt and our opinion of the Brontë sisters and their place in literacy history is decided for us.
Raucous, irreverent and relevant... Underdog: The Other Other Brontë is another innovative success for the National Theatre.
**** Four Stars
|Reviewed by Sophie Luck
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