EUTCo’s production of Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo is a political farce hidden underneath play-acting and slapstick. Based on a true story, Fo’s seminal play explores the circumstances surrounding the arrest and eventual death of an anarchist rail worker, who ‘fell’ mysteriously from the fourth storey window of the Milan Police Headquarters.
The fictionalised events of the play are set in the Headquarters, where a Maniac, played by Ben Higgins, is under arrest for impersonating a psychiatrist. As the play continues, the Maniac, who claims to suffer from ‘histrionic mania’ (the uncontrollable desire to act) creates turmoil and uproar in the police station as he uses his chameleonic abilities to transform himself into different people and thus question the very police officers who first arrested him.
Ben Higgins’s portrayal of the Maniac was vibrant and energetic, and he performed the challenging task of play-acting several different characters with great dexterity. The energy brought to the stage by the rest of the cast was no less impressive, with several outstanding performances particularly by Alex Heath (Pissani), and Nick Cassen (Constable).
Although there were several hysterical moments, the performance did take a little time gain momentum as neither audience nor actors seemed comfortable with the larger-than-life characters being presented. This is the greatest challenge Fo gives his actors: how to create farcical parodic characters and yet retain a truth and honesty to the performance that allows the political message to come through. I am not convinced that EUTCo’s production achieved this, as there were several moments where important lines were lost to make way for the slapstick comedy and physical machinations of the cast.
That said, there were many instances of well-timed physical comedy and visual joking, expertly created by directors Judith Christian and Georgina Ower. These jokes did not always flow seamlessly with the dialogue – understandable, considering it was the cast’s first performance on the raised stage of the M&D room. However, the actors embraced these moments with great enthusiasm and, given more rehearsal time, would have executed them flawlessly.
The play was definitely hilarious, and the reaction from the audience was one of warmth and praise. The wonderful performance by Alex Heath in his ‘stand-up comedy night’ sketch, and Nick Cassen’s continual struggles to attach his false moustache to his face definitely stole the show for me. However, amid the laughter surrounding false eyes, wooden legs and the utter confusion inside the police station, I am not sure whether Dario Fo’s anarchist really got the explanation he deserved.
Despite this, the unwavering energy and enthusiasm that the cast brought to the stage coupled with Ben Higgins’s ability to keep the audience’s attention right throughout the play, produced an enjoyable and memorable experience.
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Emily JenkinsÂ