Review: A Moon For The Misbegotten (Almeida Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Over the past few years, Rebecca Frecknall’s productions at the Almeida Theatre have proven consistent in their quality with her takes on classics Romeo and Juliet, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and A Streetcar Named Desire all receiving acclaim, the latter of which even saw two West End runs and a New York transfer. For her latest offering at the theatre, Frecknall has opted to tackle a bit of Eugene O’Neill with a new production of A Moon For The Misbegotten. Would it be another winner for her, continuing her impressive streak at the Almeida?

A sequel to O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night in some respects, it sees the return of James Tyrone Jr, older and haunted by the death of his mother, drinking to cover the pain. He is brought together with Josie Hogan, trapped on a barren farm in Connecticut with just her volatile father for company. As the two attempt to make sense of their feelings for each other, they are brought together on one single night that will change them both forever.

A Moon For The Misbegotten is a slow-burner of a play, split into four acts over three hours. This allows the action and resulting tension to build up, with O’Neill’s timeless writing filled with no shortage of character exposition, giving a well-rounded and realistic portrayal of the characters. With themes of poverty, freedom, and gender inequality, love is at the heart of the story and all the complexities that come with it.

For all the strengths of O’Neill’s writing, Rebecca Frecknall once again manages to draw something fresh and riveting out of it, through her always inspired direction. Through her stripped-back style, a relatively bare stage surrounded by clutter gives the illusion of the run-down farm but also allows no distractions so the weight of the performances can be maximised.

Where the character of Josie Hogan has been interpreted in different ways in previous productions, Frecknall fills her with strength, holding her own as the men in her life attempt to manipulate her or keep her out of the loop, and ultimately have the last laugh, proving herself to be stronger than all of the men she interacts with on stage. Ruth Wilson takes on this character with an earnest and captivating portrayal that keeps nuances and plays it in an understated manner for the majority while never risking lessening the impact of her choices. The undoubted star of the play, her performance always thrills, no matter the situation.

Though his character proves to be far weaker than Wilson’s Josie, the same cannot be said about MIchael Shannon in his incredibly strong performance as James Tyrone Jr, Full of bravado, Shannon delicately navigates the intricacies of the character, particularly coming into his own in Act Three, where all walls are collapsed and the heart of what is haunting him plays out. The scene between him and Wilson proves to be the most gripping of the entire play in a two-hander that had me completely enraptured.

If Wilson and Shannon opt for comparatively understated performances, David Threlfall is the complete opposite as Phil Hogan in a larger-than-life portrayal that has elements of comedy, but a real danger through his threats and ominous presence. It is a complex role, and one that is necessary to bring out the strength in his daughter on stage, but Threlfall has no trouble channelling these conflicting qualities in a well-rounded performance.

Jack Knowles’ lighting becomes a character of its own in this production of A Moon For The Misbegotten, circling the stage to resemble the moon and creating some beautiful and versatile visual aesthetics throughout the play. Predominantly used to signify the end of an Act, its usage in the final Act bathes the cast in a beautiful glow, resembling dawn in an inspired touch through Frecknall’s direction that complements the new chapter in these characters' lives. A special mention has to go to Peter Rice’s sound design and composition from NYX, accompanying this gorgeous lighting with ethereal sounds that end each of the four Acts with a huge impact.

Glowing with quiet intensity, Rebecca Frecknall has once again worked her magic on this production of A Moon For The Misbegotten. Disregarding the need for any bells and whistles, all that is required are knockout performances and the writing to speak for itself. The result is a captivating production that pays tribute to the timelessness of the writing while bringing something new to it. Though it can be a long and, at times, slow production, there is something in Ruth Wilson’s fantastic characterisation of Josie that truly shines in a production that is impossible to forget.

A Moon For The Misbegotten plays at Almeida Theatre until 16th August. Tickets from www.almeida.co.uk

Photos by Marc Brenner