Following a successful run in Bath last year, Laurence Boswell's ambitious season of Spanish Golden Age plays — in new translations, performed in rep by one ensemble — comes to the Arcola.
The first of these 17th-century offerings, directed by Mehmet Ergen, is Don Gil of the Green Breeches (★★★✩✩), a mad farce by Tirso de Molina with plenty of mistaken identities, mischief-making, gender confusion, and so forth.
Doña Juana (played with infectious glee by Hedydd Dylan) resolves to wreak havoc upon her caddish ex-lover by disguising herself as a green-clad nobleman and wooing the new subject of his affections, gullible Doña Ines (Katie Lightfoot), before he can. Not exactly a watertight plan, but luckily for Juana, instant attraction is just one flamenco dance away.
As deceit begets deceit the story spirals out of control, a fact cheekily acknowledged by Sean O’Brien’s translation: “So. Now we understand the plot and all its complexities.” If you say so.
The lively cast doesn’t fail to entertain but it’s with the second play, Lope de Vega’s tragedy Punishment Without Revenge (★★★★✩), that they shine.
Count Federico (Nick Barber), the bastard son of the Duke of Ferrara (William Hoyland), develops a forbidden and tormented romance with his stepmother, Cassandra (Frances McNamee, excellent). When the Duke begins to suspect, tensions mount to a thrilling breaking point.
Boswell’s production convincingly explores the psychology of sexual jealousy and guilt, thanks in large part to Meredith Oakes’s gripping translation.
The third and final production in the season, De Vega’s A Lady of Little Sense, opens on Thursday. It looks like it’s in safe hands.
In rep until March 15 (020 7503 1646, arcolatheatre.com)
