Winterreise

Produced by Up In Arms Theatre

Tristan Bates Theatre, Tuesday 13th December 2011

The first of two vastly contrasting performances at the Tristan Bates Theatre on Tuesday was the Schubert song cycle Winterreise, performed in the original German by baritone and director Thomas Guthrie, accompanied on piano and guitar. Themes of depression, isolation, lost love and being really, really cold don’t necessarily make for an enticing evening of entertainment, but Up In Arms Theatre have taken this stark subject matter and created an enchanting and atmospheric staging which you can’t help but be charmed by.

First, an admission. My knowledge of Schubert’s back catalogue is limited to say the least, so this was my first foray into the chilly world of Winterreise. As it turned out, I couldn’t have wished for a better introduction to this bleak but captivating piece. Using a beautifully constructed puppet as narrator, the 24 songs charting the epic Winter journey of a desperate and heartbroken man were given a simple and accessible staging.  Translations were projected behind the performers for those of us who had forgotten most of their GCSE German, and the monochrome “silent movie” styling that they were given added to the already spine-tingling atmosphere.

In the intimate space of the Tristan Bates Theatre the stage was left otherwise bare save for the two musicians and vocalist and puppeteer Guthrie. Rising slowly from a heap of rags, the puppet itself had an incredibly expressive quality. This was particularly heightened by subtle lighting changes which transformed not only the expression on his face, but the texture of the skin to appear at times young and hopeful, and at others elderly and weather beaten. Having never been a huge fan of puppets, this was a revelation. Through skilful animation alongside the rich, soaring baritone of the operator, the effect was somehow more touchingly human than I can imagine any actor could have produced.

Enormous credit must go to David Owen Norris on the piano and Sam Cave on guitar. While I would have liked to hear more of the guitar throughout the piece, the few songs in which it was utilised gave gentle respite to the at times relentless gloom of the protagonist’s story. Using a magnificent piano, which we were informed prior to the performance was a relic from Schubert’s time, Norris produced an astonishing performance which was only heightened by the beautiful tinny tone of the instrument. As a trio, they were faultless.

The subject matter of Winterreise is never going to make for easy watching, yet the elegant simplicity of the staging made it both comprehensible and, dare I say it, enjoyable even for a novice such as myself. I can’t think of a better introduction to Schubert, and considering the inspired work on show here, I certainly look forward to seeing more of Up In Arms Theatre in the future.