A Mirrored Monet continues at Greenside @ Nicolson Square – Emerald Theatre until 26 August 2023.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Attending the opening performance, I found myself sitting next to a young man who I overheard saying to his friend: “I know nothing about this painter, do you?” His friend replied: “No, never heard of him” and so as the house lights dimmed, we were all about to embark on a journey of discovery and enlightenment. Hopefully, we would unearth a little more about the man himself, Oscar-Claude Monet and his remarkable talent as an artist.
This is an ambitious production, not only a big ask for the performers, MD and director but also for the technical and stage management team. Fringe companies have to perfect their given skill set quickly and succinctly as the time allowance is unbelievably condensed. Getting a production up and running is no mean feat. Therefore, hats off to all involved for pulling this hugely ambitious show together. The newly written musical by Carmel Owen, writer, composer and lyricist, has based her production on letters and diary entries written by Monet himself.
An elderly man takes centre stage and we are immediately introduced to the great man himself. As Monet’s story begins to unfold, we are introduced to the younger Monet and shown glimpses of his early life as a young artist, bursting with ideas and desperate, like his close compatriots, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and the irrepressible modernist painter Édouard Manet, to introduce their work to the world. They wish to make their artistic mark on French society, the ultimate aim being to display their work in The Paris Salon and be taken seriously as outstanding artists. Their work is considered too radical and they are constantly discouraged at all official levels.
When we are introduced to Camille Doncieux, who became Monet’s muse, model, lover and later, his wife the tide slowly begins turning.
Director Fraser Grant guides us effortlessly through the vagaries of Monet’s life, there is a charming fluidity between scenes and the confidence he gives to all his actors is tangible.
Crawford Logan and Mathew Hydzik as Monet lead the company with assured aplomb and Sarah Haddath’s understated Camile Doncieux is a joy, and her vocal quality dazzling.
PS I asked the young man at the end of the production what he thought, his reply: “Oh yes, I loved it, I learned a lot.” Job done I’d say.
Flo White
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