By Joe Szekeres
In her Director’s Note, Leora Morris writes, “It is not surprising to me that David Harrower wrote ‘Knives in Hens’ under somewhat of a spell.” The word spell caught my attention as I had feelings of unease within me about actions and their consequences at the conclusion of the play. I did a quick bit of online research to see if I could learn more about the title of the play itself, and I found this in the Drama Online Library website link:
The term brutal fable caught my eye immediately because the play is brutal at times to watch and to hear. Coal Mine’s extraordinarily remarkable handling of such controversial material in the capable hands of Leora Morris riveted me to pay close attention to this 80-minute production without intermission. I’ll admit I still have some questions about the text as it is rich with layered meaning and context.
No time has been specified in this play which takes place in a rural Scottish setting, yet I’m thinking it might be an ancient world. Superstition dominated the lives of these people where prejudice is taken to be religion. The Young Woman (Diana Bentley) is married to Pony William (Jim Mezon), the village ploughman who has a strong connection and affinity with horses. As the story progresses, the Young Woman lustily falls for the miller Gilbert Horn (Jonathon Young) whom she has been told to despise.
Without caring one iota, Gilbert tells the Woman about her affair with a local girl. The Young Woman then begins a plan of vengeance against her husband.
The intimate environment of The Coal Mine Theatre is effectively suitable for playwright Harrower’s story. Within this close setting, no one in the audience can’t look away or ignore the stark setting and raw subject material presented in a fiercely visceral manner. Kaitlin Hickey’s ‘theatre in the round’ set design was a good choice to make as the actors make entrances and exits from both sides of the auditorium.
There is a squared space for the playing area which appears to be filled with a kind of soil and sand. Stage of the space is slightly elevated. The stage right wall has a large circular hole. A square stool sits just slightly off-centre right. Barnboard is found at the back of both sides of the seating area. From my seat, one of the doors that is covered in barnboard when lit becomes the outside of the horse stall. Very effective.
Ms. Hickey’s lighting design is sharply focused when necessary for the various monologues.
Christopher Ross-Ewart’s sound design is jarring and surreal. At the top of the show we are presented with an eerie feeling of dread in the accompanying music.
What highly impresses me about Coal Mine is the company’s selection of works that are edgy, confrontational and in your face, which makes good theatre. The dialogue and words in the script say a great deal without saying a lot. There are magnetic and electrifying pauses from all three actors where my breath was held in wondering how the other person would respond. If we are still thinking about the production the next day, then the production has set out what it intended to do for me – to make me think and to make me question.
These three skilled actors gallantly command the stage and handle the language of the text solidly. As the Young Woman, Diana Bentley assumes her characterization with exact precision. The Young Woman may not understand figurative language initially, but she truly cares about the well being of her older husband, Pony William. When Gilbert makes possible reference to Pony’s affair with a local girl, Ms. Bentley reminded me so much of Lady Macbeth in wanting to achieve what the Young Woman absolutely wants – a seething vindication in discovering words against a philandering husband with the handsome miller. It suddenly dawned on me that ‘Knives in Hens’ is also a story of female empowerment.
Messrs. Jim Mezon and Jonathon Young are just as solid as Ms. Bentley but offer different understanding of manhood. Mr. Mezon’s Pony William appears quite fatherly in my first impression which worked well in this context as there is no specific time or year allotment. In an alarming turn of events, Pony William turns violent towards the Young Woman in wanting to keep his wife away from the horses. Just by his voice alone off stage, Mr. Mezon’s full bodied presence resonated strongly on stage which allowed Ms. Bentley some wonderful silent emotional reaction.
Mr. Young’s Gilbert Horn strongly emphasizes sadness as his wife and child are dead. Nevertheless, Mr. Young utilizes this sadness to tantalizes and to tempt the Young Woman in a calculated manner. The lustful moments of passion are fierce as we see a woman who wantonly commits adultery on her husband. Conversely, the jolting conclusion involving the Miller’s actions at the end left me shocked with his behaviour.
FINAL COMMENTS: Once again, a strongly evocative production of passion, desire and longing with consequences. I’m sure there will be talk backs with the actors after future performances. I wish there was one on this opening night.
‘Knives in Hens’ by David Harrower continues to October 13, 2019 at 1454 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. For further information, please visit the website.