REVIEW OF LA VOIX HUMAINE, by Jean Cocteau, brought to the UK by the Romanian Cultural Institute for a one evening showing at the Cockpit Theatre in London on Sunday 8th December 2013.
When the Romanian actress, Oana Pellea, was invited to do a one night show in London, it was hardly surprising she chose the one act, one actor, Jean Cocteau play, La Voix Humaine, The Human Voice.
The play (about one hour long) is a monologue spoken by a woman, alone in a room entering her own private heartbreak. As she speaks on the telephone to her lover it becomes apparent to her that he has deserted her for another (younger) woman. Ms. Pellea is at first hesitant, almost obsequious, flirtatious, but as the terrible truth begins to hit her, she becomes hysterical and frightened and by the end, approaches madness and despair. When one considers that Cocteau wrote the play to allow “range of voice,” in other words he sought to write what could become an actress’s aria , to be in the Cockpit Theatre witnessing this great performance by this great actress which made the play burst with operatic grandeur and poetry, was to be a sublime part of the writer’s intention. (Not surprisingly, the play was indeed later performed as an opera.) But here in London, Ms Pellea’s range was astonishing; from very quiet, “ever so humble” pleadings to seductive longeurs, then to anger and anguished cries; at times we heard a voice like a very expensive cello, then again like the screeching of a squashed cat.
De la Londra, vă mulțumesc pentru o astfel de performanță extraordinară Doamna Pellea .
Shaun Traynor
http://www.shauntraynor.co.uk/vgib.html
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Such a pity it's only on for one night!
Here's a link to the review of the London night of Romanian theatre iin October :
http://sco.lt/6UxVez