The theatre-goers were ushered up the stairs to collect their tickets for the show, or so we thought.
In fact, we were handed tickets to the carousel, where we were greeted with candyfloss, ball games and a photographer to capture the moment.
Once seated, it seemed the fun and games were over as the madam of the carousel takes a disliking to one of the riders, servant girl Julie, believing she’s flirting with her star worker, Liliom.
He can pick and choose any girl he wants, but he’s captured by Julie’s innocence and openness.
The pair start courting and Julie’s friend, Marie, imparts her knowledge on flirting while maintaining a lady’s virtue within the realms of the early 1900s in Budapest, Hungary.
We couldn’t help but giggle when Marie said a real sign of passion between her and her soldier boyfriend, Wolf, is when they swing hands. She can’t contain her happiness as her friend Julie now has a sweetheart of her own; they can both share in the delight of what love is and the effect it can have on a person’s soul.
But Liliom is a bad man. He goes out drinking, gambling and even strikes Julie.
Even when Julie tells him he will be a father, the audience deeply hopes he will change his ways. But for Liliom, the news leads him to score one last big hit to provide for his growing family.
He conjures up a plan with his good-for-nothing friend Fiscur to carry out an attack on the guard to steal his money. But as they wait for the guard to arrive, he manages to gamble away his half of the money in desperation.
The plan is foiled and the guard laughs in their faces as the money has already been banked; Fiscur and Liliom are shown as pathetic, stupid and hopeless.
Knowing he’ll be sent to prison, Liliom stabs himself in the chest.
His grieving wife Julie tends to her dying husband. Her love is pure and eternal, but deep down she knows Liliom is, and always was, a bad man.
Julie, played by Daniela Ologeanu, gives a sterling performance here – we feel she is truly mourning the death of a loved-one – she shook with fear, with dismay, with hate and with passion. But Liliom’s soul must now be judged at a higher level.
The poignant words from earlier echo out to the audience – no matter what you do or what you say, it will be remembered.
And in the presence of the magistrate, Liliom is asked what good he performed on earth and whether there is a final task he must perform before being sent away for eternity.
He’s given one last chance to show his softer, caring side – when his daughter reaches 16 years of age, he will be sent back to earth to perform one single act of kindness.
A task so simple it seems, but he manages to mess this up and even strikes his daughter.
Written by Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar, adapted by Mark Jackson and directed by Mark Modzelewski, Liliom was performed well within the confines of The Bread and Roses Theatre. Indeed there was no separate stage area and poor Julie must contend with some pretty quick costume changes in the curtains behind the audience.
But I feel this adds to the play – the audience were immersed from the start and we feel a part of the set and a part of the production.
It tackles domestic abuse, against the backdrop of the great carousel which is synonymous with laughter and fun.
And the plays shows how two opposites can attract to each other – one pure and one selfish. However, inherently, it seems people can’t change, no matter if they’re given stable surroundings, love or even a child.
Liliom, performed by Torchlight Collective in cooperation with East 15 Acting School, explored dark and light, comedy and death and the audience felt they were taking a ride on an emotional rollercoaster.
My only criticism? This production was only on for a week.
We reviewed the SmartSun Wristband. An ingenious way of keeping safe in the sun for children and adults. They are very easy to use and they work well. The bands are single use and come in a pack of 5. These bands can be used by all ages to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Especially useful given the rising skin cancer figures.
