Oleanna

Sale & Altrincham Messenger's Review

Oleanna

By Rick Bowen

*****

WATCHING Oleanna is rather like watching the theatrical equivalent of a boxing match. A pretentious professor and his up tight student with a huge chip on her shoulder verbally slug it out. As a member of the audience it's a draining but ultimately rewarding experience, because David Mamet’s controversial play contains generous helpings of brain food. But there’s one crucial difference between Oleanna and the art of pugilism - there’s no chance of either combatant ending up a winner.

The two hander features John, the "prof" and Carol, one of his struggling students. Neither character listens to what the other is saying and after a series of unorthodox tutorials, Carol, a strange, strange girl, ends of accusing her teacher of sexual harrassment. It’s hard to feel sorry for John, because he’s irritatingly self satisfied and his accusor is equally lacking in the endearing qualities department. Although the piece leaves you wondering as to why this young lady is so angry and so, so resentful. If Mamet had ever written a sequel, you could imagine Carol boiling his family’s pet rabbit!

Duncan Battman serves up an assured and engaging production and Simon Royce (John) and Rosi Hunter (Carol) cope extremely well with a script that would stretch the linguistic abilities of professional actors. Not the best advert for the teaching profession, but a thought provoking play all the same.

Enjoy, debate.