CRAMMING the descent of a man into madness in just one hour is no mean feat.
Based on the short story by Nikolai Gogol which charts the demise of Arksenty Ivanovich Poprishchin, a low level civil servant in 1930’s Russia.
He faces his demons and obstructions, most of which materialise through his own delusions of grandeur – notably that the main character is the real King of Spain – and offset against his burgeoning feelings of unrequited love.
Robert Bowman, the star of the one-man show, delved deep into the psyche of man of the verge of insanity, and offered a gripping performance in the play directed by the Olivier Award nominee Sinead Rushe.
The skill of Bowman lay in his ability to portray Poprishchin, often within the space of one sentence, as a man struggling to cope with his insanity, appearing perfectly coherent one moment to barking like a dog the next.
Set against the backdrop of an era when mental health and illness were horrendously misunderstood, both the actor and director have managed to encompass the breadth of disdain felt towards the insane of a time gone by.
Darkly funny, intriguing and, at times, harrowing, the whistle stop tour through Poprishchin’s mind, masterfully guided by Bowman and Rushe together, was warmly received by the audience, unfortunately sparse in their number.
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