Review: ROPE at The Union Theatre, London

 

Date: 25nd October 2023 

Seat: Unallocated

Rating: 2 Stars

It’s always hard to reinvent a classic story that people know well, and although it can work beautifully when it’s done right, when it’s done wrong, it leaves an audience with more questions than answers, the main one being “why?” 

Rope, a modern adaptation of the original 1929 Patrick Hamilton play and the 1948 Hitchcock film, unfortunately, falls into the second category. In this production, it’s been brought right up to date, but the many mentions of Uber and Tinder/Grindr and the use of smartphones does nothing to improve the story or make it more interesting, and this modernisation, along with some added swearing and the fact that the original gay undertones are no longer hidden, seem to be gimmicks more than anything that really does much. 

The story is that of Brandon Wyndham and Gregg Charles, a couple living in Brandon’s expensive London flat, left to him by a recently deceased uncle. The pair decide to murder a mutual friend (who, it turns out, Gregg has been having an affair with for a while) and then stuff the body into a trunk in their living room. They then invite their victim’s father, as well as a couple of other friends, over for a party so they can say goodbye before they head off to Italy. In the Hitchcock film, at least, this setup makes for a very tense couple of hours, with near-misses aplenty and discovery of the crime possible at any moment. 

In this version, that’s not the case. The characters wander about the stage, variously bumping into/sitting on/spilling drinks over the trunk, but it never seems dangerous; this is not edge-of-your-seat stuff, and that’s a shame because it should be. We should be tense, holding our breaths, waiting to see if the pair get caught. But the truth is the characters are so universally awful as people that it doesn’t matter. Get caught, don’t get caught; it’s all the same in the end. 

Rope certainly had some redeeming qualities, but there were far too many issues to make this a good play. The biggest issue was that the performances were seriously under-rehearsed. The actors frequently stumbled over lines, talked over each other, and missed cues, which severely disrupted the flow of the play. This unpolished execution (pun intended) detracted from the overall experience and meant that any tension the audience felt was over the performances, not the story. 

The pacing of the play was also problematic. While the first act dragged on at a snail's pace, the second act was surprisingly short, creating a jarring and uneven progression. This inconsistency made it difficult for the audience to engage fully with the storyline.

The attempt to bring the play into the modern era was, regrettably, unsuccessful. The updated version failed to capture the essence and appeal of the original, resulting in characters who were overwhelmingly unlikeable, which made it hugely challenging for the audience to invest in their fates and motivations.

On a positive note, the set design by Ian Nicholas was a highlight of the production. The posh basement flat was convincingly recreated, and the sound design by Jonny Danciger added to the realism of the play. 

Sadly, despite a couple of great ideas, the overall result was that Rope was disappointing, and you’ll be better off renting the Hitchcock film and staying home for a couple of hours than watching this production that leaves a lot to be desired. 

Rope runs at The Union Theatre until 28th October 2023: http://uniontheatre.biz/show/rope-by-patrick-hamilton/