[20040053] The Overcoat
CanStage @ Festival Theatre
7:30pm, Tue 2 Mar 2004
Score: 10
Short Review: (almost) Flawless
Wow. It's rare that I can see such a large-scale, lavish production, and get totally immersed in the experience. The Overcoat, however, sucked me in from the outset.
Simple story, really - a downtrodden draftsman snaffles himself a nice new overcoat, and his life changes as a result. But the manner in which the story is told - no dialogue, constant musical score, wonderfully staged crowd scenes, creative direction - make this a true aural and visual delight.
The attention to detail in this production is staggering - when the stage lights are all forward, characters still create a hubub behind the screens at the back of the stage... even the final cast-call is superbly done. Costumes are spectacular, the sets are both simple and clever... and the acting... the acting! Peter Anderson puts in a sublime performance as The Man, every facial expression adding to the story.
In fact, if I had to draw fault with The Overcoat in any way, it would be that the ending is quite sudden, and doesn't really create a sense of closure. But that's just a minor nit-pick - I left the theatre absolutely elated after this production. This is, without doubt, the best Festival flagship production for many a year.