Review-Freud's Last Session-Stylus Productions
28-2-13
By: Stephanie Ip
I worried a little, while running to the Hong Kong Arts Centre, that one, I was going to be late; and two, I might find the play a little too intellectual to my liking. A play where Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis spar with words and talk about philosophy? Really?
But I was wrong. Intellectual debate can make for riveting theatre when you have Mark St. Germain as the playwright, and Adam Harris and Andy Fullard acting as a young C.S. Lewis and an ailing Sigmund Freud respectively.
Freud’s Last Session was actually really provocative and witty and, while it was indeed on the slightly academic side, it raised all the big questions that have been around since the beginning of time. Does God exist? Do men bring about their own pain and suffering? Are humans inherently bisexual? I was instantly gripped.
The heated debate was further intensified by the fact that the play was set on the brink of the Second World War in 1939, and that Freud, at 83, was at the last stages of painful oral cancer that impeded his speech and rendered him a coughing, retching mess every time he tried to raise his voice.
The set was an exquisite replica of Freud’s study in London, and the small, intimate setting of the McAulay Studio was an excellent venue. The only fault, mostly on my part, was choosing the worst seat in the studio. There were three sides to choose from, nine rows of seats overall, and somehow I ended up with a seat where Fullard's and Harris’ heads were perfectly aligned. I watched the back of Harris’ head, and none of Fullard’s head for a great duration of the play, where my only comfort was that I could pretend I didn’t see Freud’s mustache swing in mid-air, threatening to fall off.
Having said that, praise must be given to the makeup team, because both actors’ resemblance to the real life persons was uncanny.
Against such an intense backdrop, death was never far from the minds of these two great geniuses but it would seem that, even at such a dire time, the battle between religion and science still must be fought. Freud, a famous psychoanalyst and an atheist, finds the concept of God simply ludicrous and questions the worship of a God that allowed war. Lewis, a convert, defends his faith with rationality and calmness. Each of their arguments was equally convincing and yet completely irreconcilable.
And that, perhaps, is where the strength of the play lies. The 70-minute play was entirely driven by dialogue, with both actors lying or sitting in various positions. There wasn’t much action to speak of. It was dialogue that was interesting and thought provoking, attested by the great number of productions performed globally. This production in Hong Kong certainly does not disappoint.
Freud's Last Session is playing through Saturday at the McAulay Studio. For more information, please click here.
Comments
brad
I was sitting on the house left and couldn't see any the actors faces for most of the show. The acting and dialogue were good just wish I would have actually seen some of it.
28 February 2013David Waters
I too didn't know what to expect. I went to please the wife. Absolutely brilliant! Acting superb and production values great. I waas drawn in the world, the time and conversation without fail. Gutted when C.S. Lewis left and I knew it would be over soon.
01 March 2013actor
I'm really bothered by something in this review. Stephanie says it's her fault she chose a bad seat and couldn't see anything. In a good drama there are no bad seats and the McCauley is a great small theatre where you should be able to play to all three sides easily. I saw the show last night. Although, I enjoyed the text and the set. I did not enjoy the blocking of the play. I couldn't see their faces either. That makes me angry because I pay the same ticket price to sit on the side as someone does to sit at the front.
02 March 2013bub
Is it wrong that I liked the obscene version more than the real script? It may have been a very intellegent show but didn't stop me from taking a nap during Act One. Maybe it was a the spirits beforehand.
07 March 2013