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Review: Samson Agonistes
02 June 2008
Dr Daniel Reynaud
Senior lecturer, Faculty of Arts
Avondale College arts lecturer Dr Jane Fernandez and her EN263 drama class have entertained with a staging of John Milton's challenging closet drama, Samson Agonistes (College Hall, May 31). The extended poem, intended for public reading rather than staging, received an imaginative treatment that included three actors simultaneously playing the part of Samson, a pair of clowns playing with cap guns and bubble blowers, and a Philistine warrior kitted out in a mix of armour and cricket gear.
The three Samsons offered three facets of Samson's personality, with Josh Stewart bringing a wild and physical presence to the strong man role, Luke Waylor offering consistent emotionally intensity, and Cameron Rogers highlighting a more relaxed side.
Two other lead roles stood out strongly: that of Kristin Thiele as Dalila, Samson's teasing and manipulative wife, and Kiel Winch as Samson's frail father struggling to come to terms with his son's downfall. Catherine Moala offered humour with her Philistine, while Kalivati Namakadre was menacing in the minor role of a whip-wielding officer.
The play began with an atmospheric candle procession and dance by the chorus, which later added welcome light relief with its flirtatious and provocative delivery. More interventions may have helped other scenes of intense and lengthy dialogue. The only other criticism was the difficulty of hearing some actors at times, particularly when competing with drumbeats and general stage noise.
The play was effective in connecting its themes with its audience, its stylised 17th century English made more accessible by deliberate (Middle) Eastern and modern touches in costume, props, music and staging.
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