Vinegar Tom is a theatre production originally written by Caryl Churchill in 1976, and currently directed by Francis Matheu under the University of Victoria’s department of theatre. It sets its story in 17th century England, during the rampant witch trials where countless innocent women were accused of heresy, and drowned, burned, or hanged. These women were coerced into false confessions through gaslighting and torture; since there was literally no way they could prove their innocence, a horribly painful death was inevitable.
The production utilizes a blend of traditionally acted scenes interspersed with musical inserts performed by a handful of dancing wraiths. These songs were well played and well-performed, and for me they were the highlight of the show. Upon a cursory comparison to the original script, it appears that this iteration is 100 percent faithful to every line, which is impressive. The challenge, therefore, lies with the director on how to represent these scenes within a limited space.
This problem was met and solved; the set was brilliantly designed to be so utilitarian that by using basic shapes and some shifting elements, an impressive number of locations could be implied by mere abstract lines. The lighting was detailed and intricate and did an excellent job of using colour and fluctuation to deliver and emphasize the mood created by the excellent audio-visual production, and the actors, while clearly still amateurs, gave an incredibly passionate performance.
Considering all of this praise, it may come as a surprise that as a total production I didn’t really enjoy Vinegar Tom. The issue was not with this production itself, but with the script. From the start, it leaps frenetically between ambiguous scenes that give no context or background to the setting. The characters are equally as difficult to connect with. Because none are given enough time and intimacy to establish an emotional bond with, when they inevitably suffered, I felt disconnected and unmoved.
The other issue I have with this play is that it’s not a play. It is certainly a production, but instead of focusing on telling a rich story, it functions first and foremost as a megaphone for the writer’s unsubtle expression of their political beliefs. While I have no problem with productions making political statements, it should focus on story and character first and foremost (see Apocalypse Now). By telling a deep and meaningful story with complex characters, the viewer is emotionally attached to what’s going on. A subtle inception takes place as the intended political statement is arrived at independently by the viewer as a reasonable response to the events within the narrative. However, Vinegar Tom doesn’t trust the viewer to think independently; it feels the need to literally yell the message in our faces. The end result is that I felt like I was watching an infomercial or an election campaign speech.
Ultimately, the Phoenix Theatre production of Vinegar Tom was produced with great care by several dozen talented people who should be proud of what they’ve created. However, the lacklustre source material takes the university venue far too literally by presenting an impassioned lecture rather than a compelling story.
Vinegar Tom
Until Saturday, February 25
$16-$30 (student rush tickets
$16 30 minutes before show)
UVic Phoenix Theatre
finearts.uvic.ca/theatre/mainstage