Review: Martin Guerre (The Old Vic)
Review by Daz Gale
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London audiences don’t ever need to look far if they want a fix of a musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, with their little-known production Les Misérables taking its place as the longest-running musical in the West End, now in its 41st remarkable year, with their other masterpiece Miss Saigon returning to its former home in the West End next year. But what of one of their lesser-known and admittedly less successful musicals? Martin Guerre has travelled a rocky path since its conception and not been seen in quite some time, in a fitting comparison to the story itself, but now it is back to claim its rightful place in the world of London theatre, moving into The Old Vic for a brief season. Would this musical be able to shake off its imposter syndrome to become the roaring success many have always thought it deserved, or would it have been better off hiding in the shadows rather than attempting to reclaim its name?
Martin Guerre made its debut in the West End in 1996 but struggled to find its voice, being subject to continuous rewrites through its early weeks and then several months into the run when it was revised completely. Changes continued to be made through its initial West End run and the subsequent productions over the years. The last time the little-revived show was seen was 19 years ago at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury, with this new iteration at the Old Vic making its first London appearance since the original West End production closed in 1998.
Loosely based on the historical figure from the 16th century, Martin Guerre tells the story of the titular character and Bertrande de Rols who are forced into an arranged marriage. Refusing to consummate the marriage, Martin vanishes, only reappearing seven years later. Seemingly picking up where he left off and righting the wrongs, he and Bertrande produce an heir, but they face opposition from Guillaume, who wants Bertrande for himself, and Martin’s uncle, who questions the real reason for Martin’s return. When a stranger appears claiming Martin Guerre is an imposter, questions emerge over who the real Martin Guerre is, with fatal consequences for whoever is lying in the situation.
Confused? Martin Guerre has been through multiple rewrites over the years, trying to find the right tone and focus, with Bertrande thrust into the spotlight more than the earlier iterations. It is still a fairly messy story overall and the sense is that it still may need some further tweaks to get it to the best version of itself possible, but it is still in impressive shape in this current form. As this was my first time seeing the show on stage, I can only go by what I read on my journey home, but it does make an interesting read. This time around, there is more of an ambiguity over who is telling the truth, whereas the original made it far more explicit. The choice to reduce the story from a two-act musical to ninety minutes straight through makes for a rapid and pacey watch but does suffer from a lack of exposition at times, with certain moments rushed through and lacking the necessary impact. This is a story full of riches, and adding some time back on to the story could only work in its favour.
Comparisons to Les Misérables are obvious and inevitable, with much of the music sounding like offcuts from that show. The biggest problem Martin Guerre faces is a struggle to find and know its own identity, which is why the show has gone through so many changes in the last thirty years. While it is much closer now to finding its own path and carving out its own destiny, it could do well to lose some of the moments that feel far too close to Boublil and Schönberg’s other behemoth show, with musical numbers that border on parody and even oversized flags brought out on stage. The initial preset in this production even looks like a miniature barricade, though admittedly not the most effective of barricades as you can simply walk around it.
For this latest iteration, Boublil and Schönberg have wisely recruited other people to provide new lyrics, with Annabel Mutale Reed and Paul Hodge joining the team to help elevate the material. The result is nothing short of spectacular, with a brand new musical number, ‘Someday’, added in for this production. In the same way that ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ has become one of the signature tunes in Les Misérables, ‘Someday’ feels destined to have the same fate in Martin Guerre, with an immediate familiarity that sets it up as an instant musical theatre classic. Taking its rightful place in the show, it forms an undoubted standout moment and single-handedly sets this musical up to be stronger than it would have clearly been without it. Another inspired choice this time around is the increased prominence of musical number ‘Live With Somebody You Love’, a number that the writers admit has been tried in every position in the show. Where it may not have landed before, it soars this time around, in another musical highlight of the night.
In his final season as Artistic Director at the Old Vic, Matthew Warchus has opted to reconfigure the space at the theatre, staging all productions in-the-round, enhancing the intimacy of each production. An inspired idea that has yielded great results for the most part, Warchus himself has developed and directed this production for his swansong from the theatre. An idea he has been nurturing for some years, his version for how Martin Guerre could be staged in this configuration has created something rather special. Boublil and Schönberg’s musicals are largely associated with lavish set pieces and a general grandness in scale, so to strip that all back to find the intimacy and humanity of the story may not have felt like the most obvious of choices, but it has paid off massively. This production has been described as semi-staged but, aside from a lack of set pieces, it feels closer to a full production. Warchus’ thrilling direction and Lizzi Gee’s exceptional choreography miraculously elevates the limited nature of the space to create a truly riveting watch.
It may be a smaller stage than usual but that doesn’t stop this production of Martin Guerre filling it with a stacked cast, both in number and in talent. Shane O’Riordan is wonderfully compelling as “Martin”, with his performance feeling slightly inspired by that of Jean Valjean while still bringing something fresh to this character. The sense of torture, anguish and conflict is always prominent in his intricate performance and a large part of what makes his characterisation so captivating. Alex James-Hatton makes up for a comparatively late appearance with a scene-stealing performance, bursting with urgency and a flash of his sensational vocals. Matthew Craig and Caroline Sheen deliver solid albeit underused turns as Pierre and Madame de Rols, with Aaron Lee Lambert stunning as the Judge, and Adam Pearce demonstrating his distinctive, wonderful vocals as Father Dominic. Truly, this is a dream cast for this production and rarely have I seen such immeasurable talent gathered in one place like this.
Barney Wilkinson delivers a standout performance as Guillaume in a characterisation bursting with anger and resentment. It is an intense portrayal that Wilkinson relishes, delivering exceptional vocals and a sense of urgency in his acting that continually thrills, even if the character is not the most lovable in the show. Fresh from a scene-stealing turn in Death Note, Colin Ryan once again proves what a remarkable actor he is in a standout performance as Benoit. Certainly an unconventional performance, Ryan finds the perfect balance between eccentricity and a sweetness to flesh out a character that has often been disregarded as “the village idiot” with more depth than it may otherwise have. The same can’t be said about his partner, Louison, however, who is disappointingly wooden.
Though the cast all impress in their own right, there is one person who dominates, delivering an absolutely outstanding turn as Bertrande. The first time I saw Liv Andrusier on stage, I knew there was something incredibly special about her and knew it was only a matter of time before the world sat up and took notice. That time is now. Andrusier delivers one of the greatest musical theatre performances of the year with a fully-fleshed and well-rounded characterisation offering no shortage of depth and conflict. Showcasing Bertrande’s desire to be loved and determination to fight for her family, my understanding is that many of the changes in Martin Guerre has been her character, and the result is the strongest aspect of the show.
The ambiguity over whether Bertrande knew the truth about her husband or not is open to debate, with Andrusier gloriously highlighting the enigmatic side of the character, offering an understated portrayal at times while still captivating at every turn. Andrusier’s vocals are utterly splendid, making it no surprise that the two musical highlights of the show, ‘Someday’ and ‘Live With Somebody You Love’ are courtesy of her out-of-this-world talents. What Andrusier does in the role is nothing short of spectacular in a performance that needs to be seen to be believed. You may not previously have been aware of the name Liv Andrusier, but I guarantee you won’t forget it after seeing what she does in Martin Guerre.
Martin Guerre has been plagued with problems for thirty years, and it would be asking too much for this production to right every wrong to create the perfect iteration of the story. However, it has made some great strides there. The continuous rewriting has left a story that is slightly confusing and incohesive at times, but the messy nature actually adds to its charm. Opting for a comparatively short run at the Old Vic in a semi-staged production suggests that the creative team are using this as an opportunity to develop the story further, and I have no doubt that with the most minor of tweaks, they can take the story to the next level. In its current form, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable watch with some stunning musical numbers and an incredible cast, led by a faultless performance from Liv Andrusier. Martin Guerre may not be totally confident in his identity just yet, but there really is no mistaking that it has the potential to stand alongside the very best of musicals.
Martin Guerre plays at The Old Vic until 31st October. Tickets from https://www.oldvictheatre.com/stage/martin-guerre/
Photos by Helen Maybanks.