Six Degrees of Separation
On Friday I was invited to see a dress rehearsal of Six Degrees of Separation at the Old Vic theatre. It was a small, select audience and we made it into the front row.
I used to live down the road from the Old Vic, but I never ended up attending a play. I kept thinking I would, but it just didnt happen. Then again, I used to think I’d see Kevin Spacey, the Creative Director, drive up on his scooter and wave on his way in to work. Never happened. Oh well.
So there I was in the front row, getting wet from spit, looking up noses and connecting with the eyes of the actors. Wow. It’s intimate. I wish my stomach hadn’t kept growling or my cough hadn’t started to act up. I felt as exposed as the actors on stage.
My review is short: great actors, simple but elegant set and super story. The play also runs complete without intermission, which allowed for the intensity to build.
I cant help but wonder how these actors nailed their American accents so perfectly? How could a couch and table rotating on stage make a backdrop for so many scenes? It is the mystery and delight of great theatre. I have never seen the movie version, however I can only imagine that if one set could convey so much, the movie could only accentuate the well-written script more. A few cues may have been missed, but they were subtle. After all, it was a dress rehearsal with a live audience. It showed where timing needed to be worked out and lights needed to be more on the ball. Still, the errors were minimal–nearly undetected by the ignorant eye.
Overall, I believe the show will be a success for the Old Vic and put Obi Abili on the fast track to success.
