Charles Dickens: The Hanged Man's Bride
A masterclass in multi-rolling while maintaining a haunting narrative brought to the stage by Blue Orange Arts.
Adapting from one of Charles Dickens’ lesser known tales James Nicholas from Blue Orange Arts staged a one-man version of the short ghost story The Hanged Man’s Bride.
Rather than the original’s Mr. Goodchild and Mr. Idle, two friends traveling together, Blue Orange Arts introduces us to a single narrator; a struggling writer who is planning to leave his wife and children and marry his much younger mistress, whether this figure is meant to be Dickens himself is left ambiguous. Here the narrator is told the story by an a repulsive old man who enters his rooms late at night – eventually revealing himself to be the hanged man – rather than by the inn keeper the morning after encountering the apparition of the Bride. An entitled man, unable to marry a wealthy widow when she dies earlier than he expected instead turns his attention to her young daughter, keeping her isolated and marrying her as soon as she comes of age only to psychologically torment her into her own early grave. This change to the original narrative allows the adaptation to maintain the story’s haunting essence that could otherwise have been lost in a more ‘faithful’ retelling as we are left wondering; what is real?
Nicholas gives an enthusiastic performance as he jumps between characters from the writer and the inn keeper to the unsettling old man and the hapless bride within his tale. Using a minimal set and no costume changes Nicholas' range as an actor is showcased spectacularly as he jumps between characters using only changes in gait, expression and voice to delineate them. The team at Blue Orange Arts creates a suitably unsettling atmosphere without distracting from Nicholas' storytelling through its use of cold lighting and well designed soundscapes.
A sinister tale of greed, cruelty and paranoia Blue Orange Arts has brought an often forgotten text of one of the Victorian eras most acclaimed writers back into the public eye in a refreshing take that remains true to the spirit of the original without being beholden to it.
Attended 5 August 2024
Edinburgh FRINGE: Venue 43
Symposium Hall
"Die"
...
"Live"
Performer:
James Nicholas
Images taken from the Blue Orange Theatre instagram page
Director:
Oliver Hume
Writer:
James Nicholas