Cast

Rupert Graves plays Tom Jones – only. But the rest of the cast, six of them, between them play 67 parts in 94 scenes and switch from narrative to dialogue with kaleidoscopic fury. Confused? Amazingly enough, you won't be in the course of this crystal clear production of  The History of Tom Jones. The quick-cut scenes, the cameo characters and the quirky dialogue act rather like the movement in cut class. They make the show sparkle with life and vitality and come together as a fully comprehensible whole.

 

Rupert Graves is impish and charming rather than full-blooded and passionate as the 18th century foundling who comes close to blowing all his chances by his huge appetite for life, his lack of prudence and his basic good-natured honesty. It suits the part if you can throw away old images and allow this Tom to transport you along a rough ride of adventure and misadventure to the final moment when he narrowly misses being strung up in the gallows. Jan Ravens keeps a bold grip on her part as Tom’s lifelong sweetheart, the squire's daughter Sophia, who runs away from the prospect of marrying a slimy two-faced squire, and turns heads by being both beautiful and brave.

 

But it is the direction and staging of this production that takes your breath away. Director Matthew Francis does not allow a single let-up in the action, as one scene cuts into the next and the multi-person cast slip into a new situation and/or role with complete composure. Ultz’s design of dressing characters in basic brown adding a loud touch - a bright hat, a bird -  is inspired, as is the bare black stage with a shed and drop-in props and the distinguishing touch between town and country that for the latter (in the first act) means the stage is strewn with cabbage leaves and adorned by a stuffed pig. The action spills into the auditorium in near-Muppet Show fashion when two characters take up seats in one of the boxes to watch players perform Hamlet in a brief play-within-the-play sequence. It all adds up to the good-humoured cheekiness of this production that has already claimed the theatre’ other box as part of the permanent set. Hence be advised to take your seat in the circle. But be sure it's a comfortable one. The production runs for a full 3 hours, which, even for a frolicking good play, is frankly too long.