A Clockwork Orange

This is my review on A Clockwork Orange at The Shoe Factory

A Clockwork Orange

When I walked into the Shoe Factory, I noticed that the atmosphere was very positive and welcoming. The lighting was strategically laced to highlight the different sets; I liked the idea that the actors performed in framed sets like artwork framed on a wall. Two of the cast members were serving milk cocktails at the bar to the audience before the show. This made us feel like a part of the performance from the beginning.

When the first actor entered it was subtle; not many people This is noticed him walk in. He went to the far corner and repeatedly hit his head on the wall. The next actor stood on the stairs knocking his knuckle duster against the wall menacingly, while making eye contact with as many audience members as he could. The droogs wore green and black and gave off quite a uniform appearance, whereas Alex (the main character) wore a green and black flannel shirt tied around his waist. Red, being a complimentary colour to green, really showed off his difference to the rest of his 'gang'. The violence began almost instantly and was well portrayed, making it very realistic, for example gagging victims with their own paper making the line between acting and reality appear more blurred. At this point, I was unsure whether I would enjoy the performance as I didn't really understand what was actually happening, and the meaning of the violence. However, when they started talking a little more to each other and Alex was arrested, I was able to follow the storyline.The costume changes were smooth and very well thought out, for example when P.R. Deltoid changed into the character of a woman, he turned his denim shirt around his waist to form a skirt. I would have thought that such minimal alterations like this to the costumes wouldn't have been effective and would have been confusing to tell when actors had shifted from one character to another. This, coupled with their convincing portrayal of each character, made the changes smooth and clear. When Miche told me that all male cast would be playing the female roles as well, my first thoughts were that it would resemble a pantomime, in the sense that it would have been a little cheesy. However, it was not like that at all. The actors were very good at playing both the male and female roles.

The whole performance was of an extremely high standard. Everything was well thought out and well timed. All in all it was a perfect performance and I would definitely watch it again.

1 Comments

  • Luke Taylor

    On 26 May 2017, 10:16 Luke Taylor Contributor commented:

    I have yet to read A Clockwork Orange, but this has persuaded me even more!

Post A Comment

You must be signed in to post a comment. Click here to sign in now

You might also like

West End Actor Interrogates Stereotyping Faced by Latinx People in Soho Theatre Solo Show

West End Actor Interrogates Stereotyping Faced by Latinx People in Soho Theatre Solo Show

by Daniel Miller

Read now