Review: The Rover, Belvoir St Theatre

1 July, Belvoir upstairs theatre

An adaptation of the 1677 play by Aphra Behn - one of the first professional women playwrights and writers in the English language. This battle of the sexes is set in Naples during Carnival, as a two Spanish sisters, a famous courtesan, and British military officers chase one another around in a comedy of mistaken identity, betrayal, and love, from time to time breaking the fourth wall for comic effect.

Framed by an opening monologue from the playwright - which I have no idea if exists in the actual text, so clearly I need to read this play sometime - as being from a woman's point of view rather than a man's, and promising bawdiness and humour, this pretty much fulfills the brief.

Not all of the women get their happy ending - courtesan Angellica's constancy goes unrewarded, and who knows if impetuous nun novitiate Hellena will keep her man - but each of them gets a voice and a say. I really liked the actresses for all three, with Angellica in this play stepping out like a cross between a movie star from a Fellini movie and Emma Stone.

The men are various degrees of foolish, most notably Toby Schmitz - recently of Black Sails fame, known to the Australian theatre scene for much longer, and it was good to see him back! - as the titular 'rover', Willmore, who can't keep it in his pants and lies at every turn, even to himself.

The plotting reminded me a lot of Shakespeare's comedies, but even faster and funnier - the comic timing of the cast was almost always spot-on, even in this first preview night. Three hours went by so quickly - I'd recommend this.

 

Link:
The Rover’s Kiruna Stamell: there’s a lack of work for disabled actors in Australia

 

CAST
Gareth Davies
Andre de Vanny
Taylor Ferguson
Leon Ford
Nathan Lovejoy
Elizabeth Nabben
Toby Schmitz
Nikki Shiels
Kiruna Stamell
Megan Wilding

Writer Aphra Behn
Director Eamon Flack
Set & Costume Designer Mel Page
Lighting Designer Matt Scott
Composer & Sound Designer Steve Toulmin
Dramaturg Charlotte Bradley
Choreographer Cameron Mitchell
Movement Director Scott Witt
Associate Designer Chloe Greaves
Personal Assistant & Access Support Worker Kerry Stamell
Stage Manager Luke McGettigan
Assistant Stage Manager Jennifer Parsonage