Brief Encounter - Kneehigh Theatre Company

Phil and I went to see Kneehigh Theatre Company's production of Brief Encounter last night, and it was excellent. I had not realised that the staging at the Haymarket theatre was so significant.

I was particularly impressed with the shift from stage performance to film footage, achieved by the actor diving through the venetian blind film screen at the same time as their image appeared onscreen - a clever technique and dependent on precise location plus split second timing. As always, the physical movement and characterisations were excellent. The one element I found a bit trite was the use of the sea and crashing waves to depict the characters' emotional inner turmoil, although I can appreciate that the 1940s setting, and indeed the whole strength of the story, requires the characters to keep a stiff upper lip.

Well worth seeing, if you can get a ticket.