BRAVE NEW WORLD by Matthew Thomas Walker, adapted from the novel by Aldous Huxley (Litmus Theatre/KABIN). At Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace (16 Ryerson). Runs to October 16. $22-$38. 416-504-7529, passemuraille.ca. See listing. Rating: NNN
Its always exciting to walk into a familiar theatre and discover it reconfigured. For the Litmus Theatre companys Brave New World, the Passe Muraille Mainspace been altered to suit this ambitious stage production.
Writer/director Matthew Thomas Walkers adaptation of Aldous Huxleys novel stays true to the fundamental story. In a future world engineered to produce a homogenous, systematic society divided into castes, Bernard Marx (Jesse Dwyre) stands out due to his idiosyncratic behaviour, including a forbidden emotional interest in Lenina Crowne (Zoe Sweet). On a weekend trip to New Mexico they visit a reserve where people live in the old way (marriage, natural birth, reading books) and meet Linda (Sophia Fabiilli) and her son John (Eli Ham). Returning home with the pair disrupts the community and vexes their leaders.
As the characters names reveal, Huxleys 1932 novel is strongly influenced by the social and political movements of its time. Its a grand undertaking to adapt for the stage a novel written in the past but set in the future, especially one so packed with detail. Although Walker trims superfluous characters and scenes, the script doesnt quite make the leap from prose to drama. Some scenes run on too long, and the dialogue often feels stilted.
The strongest moments are inherently action based, including an orgiastic gathering in Act 1 and the final gripping scene narrated by Lenina. The production contains many strong performances, particularly from Dwyre and Sweet, and intriguing elements like Patrick Lavenders lighting and set design. He completely reimagines the space, incorporating nearly every inch of the theatre including the catwalk above. So even when the pacing drags, the play remains visually compelling.
