Review- Faith Healer- Theatre du Pif
19-5-18
Faith Healer by Brian Friel will take you on a journey of emotions ranging from empathy to laughter to fear. Brought to you by Theatre du Pif and directed by Candice Moore the play is devised by three actors performing and reading four monologues.
Telling the story of Francis Hardy, a travelling faith healer, his wife and his manager. Each character tells the story from a different perspective which lends a melancholy element to the play that upon completion leaves you ready for more – you almost want to interrogate the cast to find out the truth.
The sheer simplicity and complexity of four monologues being read on stage had me hooked from the first few lines of towns and villages in Wales and Scotland being recited perfectly. As a fellow Celt, it gave me goosebumps to hear some of these names. There is a lot of juggling between truth and lies, realism and dream which made this two-hour production, without breaks, flow effortlessly.
The structure of the play itself is a strength. The monologues are used to advance the story subtly and explored shifting realities of events. The richness of language was not lost on the audience as at times you could’ve heard a pin drop. The delivery of each monologue gave us intensely clear images of remote parts of the Celtic regions and how people lived their lives at that time. In addition, each of the performers in this play brought a strength to not just the story but the character.
Francis Hardy played by Sean Curran for me had an intensity that I have rarely seen in Hong Kong. Even though this was billed as a stage reading of the play, nothing was lost in the intensity of his delivery, nor in the pacing of his monologue.
Francis Hardy’s long-suffering wife/mistress played by Vikki Rumman was first class in my humble
opinion. The range of emotions in her monologue was no easy task but she handled that rollercoaster
with what seemed like ease.
Teddy played by Barry O’Rorke had the audience chuckling at his chipper cockney ways and his delivery
of humour for impact was perfect. I loved how all of these performers, whilst never on stage together,
felt like a cohesive cast who had dedicated themselves to this high-quality performance.
Stealing one of Teddy’s lines ‘I will tell you this for nothing’, I am outraged that this performance is only
available to the Hong Kong audience for 2 nights! If there are still tickets available go get them now, this
really is a not to be missed performance.
For more information about Faith Healer, click here.
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