The Lyceum’s Anna Karenina is an astonishing accomplishment — seductive, disturbing, and tragic. The production is visually stunning and, despite the small cast, the play feels grandiose and immersive. At times humorous, at times devastatingly heart-breaking, this adept Scottish twist on Anna Karenina is an impassioned, emotional experience.
A study in scandal, Anna Karenina follows its titular character as she commences an affair with an army cavalry officer. Important information is often conveyed through gossip, and cleverly executed scenes show both the action of the event and the resulting hearsay and slander from society. This makes the show easily digestible and creatively conveys the heady influence of rumors and idle talk. Lesley Hart (writer) and Polina Kalinina (director) impressively translate Tolstoy’s 600 page novel into a delectable on-stage spectacular.
Lindsay Campbell’s performance as Anna Karenina is remarkable. Although her character is at times deeply unlikable, she plays Karenina with a commendable vibrancy. Karenina comes alive on stage, displaying her prickles and thorns — her cleverness, her misjudgements, her naive determination. As a woman imprisoned in a misogynistic society where she fails to even have rights to her own child, Karenina is also a sympathetic figure. While she is outcast by society, driven mad, and maltreated by her peers, the audience waits in vain for a happy ending for the mother and her child.
The play follows many characters other than Karenina. While some storylines are more engaging than others, one in particular that enthralled me was the story of Kostya. Played masterfully by Ray Sesay, Kostya is a more sympathetic character in the play. He strives for kindness, and despite some struggles, mostly remains an honorable figure. His storyline, while at points tragic and disturbing (this is Tolstoy after all), contains moments of humor and scenes of endearing love.
The play’s dark themes make it at times difficult to watch. Anna Karenina contains masterful depictions of descents into madness, scenes of violence, and introduces characters with less than honorable intentions. Even the sound production and the pervasive ominous rumbles of a train on the tracks are terrifying and hair-raising. Prior to attending the production of Anna Karenina, I had just watched the Scottish Ballet’s A Streetcar Named Desire — both productions are morose and depressing; they put me in quite a blue mood. Ultimately, this production is not for the faint of heart.
Still, the costumes and set design are nothing short of beautiful. From sexy ball gowns to stunning scenes of snowfall, this production dazzles its audience. Moreover, the production is choreographed to perfection with wonderful dances and scenes where the characters are artistically frozen in time. Anna Karenina at one point breaks the fourth wall, and speaks to the audience in a moment of agony. The audience almost becomes complicit in her demise; we are just another set of watchful eyes judging her, studying her fall.
Poignant, tear-jerking, and daring — The Lyceum’s Anna Karenina is an extravagant and memorable production. Fans of Tolstoy, supporters of Scottish theatre, and those who find catharsis in heart-breaking tales will undoubtedly enjoy the Lyceum’s newest offering.
The Royal Lyceum, May 13th – June 3rd
Images by Robbie McFadzean provided via Press Release