Nikolai Gogol's mid-19th century comedy, in which a young, gentleman gambler meets his match in a provincial hotel, is infused with dark satire. But while taking what he describes as "certain liberties" with the text, the adaptor, Joe Spence, has made an aesthetic mess of freedom. He claims to have "built up the social context" of the 80-minute play, although the 1990s modernities of speech he has imposed upon the text sabotage any such intention. Director Charlie Wood has dressed his collection of young gamblers in period costume. Diction and costume are, therefore, at uncomfortable odds.
This would matter much less if the acting was not so abysmal. In BAC's tiny studio, the players adopt a shouting, declamatory style of performance which helps to make their rough, though vivacious, characters absurd. The excessive volume of their voices would suit an open-air auditorium. Michael Palmer, as a ringleader who snares Tam Williams's gentleman gambler, is worst of all. He needs to switch himself down several notches.
Mr Williams is little better as a supposedly suave young deceiver who sets up a scam in his hotel room but looks too furtive and uncomfortable to muster much conviction. Paul Curran, as a youth caught in the gambling swindle, brings welcome naturalness to the coarse-grained banter. Alan Bodenham, as a put-upon servant well used to turning a blind eye to corruption, happily achieves authenticity.
? Box Office: 0171 223 2223.
Gamblers