The Chairs by Eugène Ionesco

This illuminating treatment of an enigmatic Theatre of the Absurd piece is a masterpiece.
Ionesco shunned theatre styles up to the mid-1950s. His early influences were Charlie Chaplin, Punch & Judy puppetry, and early Marcel Marceau mime theatre. He wanted his audiences to think for themselves and draw conclusions so he wrote anti-plays with abundant possibilities but no conclusions.
David Berthold made an inspired choice to invite Brian Lucas, dancer/actor/artist/choreographer/teacher, to direct The Chairs; choices of multi-awarded actors Jennifer Flowers and Eugène Gilfedder to portray the two leads, and actor/dancer Dan Crestani to play the Orator, equally so. Together they drew 21st century resonances from Martin Crimp’s 1997 translation/revision of the 1952 original.
Bruce McKinven’s innovative set design − unpainted industrial cardboard, torn and worn − and Brett Collery’s subtle sound score of almost familiar old tunes capture the history and eras of the old characters’ lives. Collery’s music sets the pace for the gentle comedy that became a romp and finally wild farce.
I won’t presume to suggest what The Chairs is about. But this inspired and inventive production provided more grist for reflection than my introduction to it.
As the Orator we’d expected throughout the play, Dan Crestani’s appearance, smart-suited and white-faced, combined elements of puppetry and mime to add a profound exclamation mark after the old people abandoned themselves to the ‘rising waters of life’. He was mute.
So, the Meaning of Life is up to us.
Jay McKee

Image: The Chairs - Jennifer Flowers and Eugene Gilfedder. Photo: Al Caeiro