EVERYMAN
DIRECTOR: Rufus Norris
CAST: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kate Duchêne, Dermot Crowley, Sharon D Clarke, Philip Martin Brown, Michelle Butterly and the rest of the ensemble
CLASSIFICATION: TBA
RUNNING TIME: 100 minutes
RATING: ***
Everyman is a 15th-century morality play which is described as the cornerstone of English drama and has been adapted by UK poet laureate, Ann Duffy. It is directed by the new director of the London National Theatre and choreographer Javier De Frutos.
What really works in this filmed reproduction, is the subtitles. With a text that runs like poetry, it is really helpful to keep the mind focused and follow the dialogue/ monologue which is almost continuous from start to finish. It could have been edited by about 15 minutes to keep it more to the point and concise.
With an almost classic-style, hip hop feel, it moves this parable/ morality play into the contemporary and mouths of the masters-of-the-universe generation in a way that tells the story as slickly as they could slip through the buttery fingers of an argument. Unless it’s God or her master in arms, Death, on the other side of this particular conversation.
In this world of me and I, this is a familiar tale as a wealthy young man celebrates his 40th birthday party with friends. He has completely abandoned his family who are having a tough time and flits between girlfriends and brothers in arms as if this is the brotherhood that will keep him safe.
Until God calls for a reckoning of his life and he has to turn to what he views as friend not foe to defend him.
Led brilliantly by Ejifor and supported by a sparkling cast, it’s fun and funny and there’s no one out there who will not identify on some level with this universal text that gives a grim view of our world today. But then we know that and there’s nothing new or unexpected – sadly. It is the text and the way it has captured both the spirit of this horrifying time and the rhythms of a society that is constantly on the move and running.
It’s so smart to employ the talents of a poet to tell this particular tale in a way that captures both heart and mind. This, because of the poetic use of ideas and language which sometimes slips into modern slang which will have you smile, catches references that don’t pass you by and then skips gently into a mood, a memory or a melancholy moment as the story travels a route just too familiar.
Catch it if you can because as Death is quick to let slip: “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,
“Who’s the next one to go?”
l Everyman screens on Saturday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm and on Sunday at 2.30pm at Cinema Nouveau across the country.