‘Everyman’ is set in extreme world of businessman, Everyman
are celebrating his 40th birthday at expensive London nightclub with
his “so-called” friends; such as, Discretion
(Kristina Stamell), Sight (Ira Mandella Siobhan), Conscience (Coral Messam), Sound
(Paul Bullion), Strength (Nick Holder), Passion (Adam Burton), Smell (Nicholas
Karami) and many more. The party consist of sniffing lines of cocaine and
drinking affable amounts of alcohol. The after affects, as you’d expect Everyman
vomits all over the floor and is in a right tumble. When he is confronted with,
Death, he informs Everyman that is time on earth is at an end. As such; he realises he has some apologies to
make; in particular his family who he has been ignoring for a length of time.
His Sister (Michelle Butterly) has been caring for their Mother (Sharon D Clarke)
and Father (Philip Martin Brown). When Everyman is frightened, his parents are
contented to take his place, but Death states it must be him. Throughout the
performance, Everyman transforms himself into a homeless and decrepit man and when
he encounters destitute, Knowledge (Penny Layden) it's under the impression
that monetary value is not that significant whatsoever. On the other hand,
Everyman's nightclub cleaner, God/Good Deeds forms acts as a comfort to him,
yet Death ensures that his life is now ready to be terminated and luckily for him
his friends who were at the party are prepared to join him in death. At the
finale Everyman descends to his grave and where his destiny awaits him. Ann
Duffy’s narrative is suitable as we can see how one man’s journey does lead to
him testing why he has been living a life that's absolutely pretentious and that
he needs to say sorry for his why for acts of excessive spending and drug use.
One found the performances by the company of ‘Everyman’ to
be vastly compelling through grand choreographic sequences and potent vocal
delivery. Chiwetel Ejiofor is stunning
as the money driven, Everyman; especially when he enters a classy department
store, and how he is unwanted there, this creates a sense of upset to himself as
his life is meaningless, as well as his entrance is a sight to behold old where
he descends from a harness. Dermot Crowley is surely frightening as master of
Everyman's destiny, Death; chiefly where he endeavours to keep Everyman at arm’s
length, moreover his sinister facial expressions and voice captures the power
he has. Kate Duchêne is brilliant as God/Good Deeds; expressly how maternal and
obliging she is to Everyman, and when Death is tenacious at Everyman's expiry, she
does her utmost best to prevent him from being a puppet in Death’s games, but as you well know this does not go
according to plan.
Rufus Norris's direction is first-rate here as his first
production as director of the National Theatre is one that is so absorbing and
engaging as we can see how Everyman is desperately and consistently tries to
improve himself, but it still shows his life must cease as he is a sinful
character. Furthermore, Javier De Frutos' choreography and movement direction
was deeply convincing and well executed by the members of the company. Ian MacNeil’s
set design and Nikki Gillibrands costume design is affable as the simplicity of
the set and costumes shows Everyman's world crumbling around him, and the
rubbish tip costumes were terrific. Overall, the experience of, ‘Everyman’ was
an interesting one of how one man needs to improve his life prospects and that
changes are inevitable and it reminds me of Charles Dickens's character,
Ebeneezer Scrooge, additionally it's a nice way to start Rufus Norris’ reign as
the boss of the National Theatre.
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