I have just been to see an extraordinary play at The Lyric Theatre, in Hammersmith. I read Metamorphosis by Frank Kafka when I was trying to show off at university and I remember it having a deep and lasting effect on me….until now, when I realise that I clearly didn’t understand it at all.
A hardworking teenager turns into an insect overnight and is reviled and deeply misunderstood by his orderly, duty bound family who try in vain to ensure that their life is not affected by his transformation. It is a deeply depressing play, but one that I am sure has many messages about life.
The book was first written in 1915 but neither the author nor any of the characters give any real insight as to why this overnight transformation has occurred. Working too hard? Exhausted by life? Misunderstanding? A domestic tragedy? A political satire? All of the above?
What is fascinating over the hour and twenty five minutes is the way the family interact, almost in a balletic manner and how, over that period of time the very sweet daughter herself turns into the monster that was initially her brother. It is in the end, not him, who we have much sympathy for, but the family that become the grotesque vermin.
The set is astonishing. The actor, Gisli Orn Garoarsson (with lots of oomlouty things I don’t know how to do on my computer) has incredible upper body strength because his room, which is above the sitting room is built to give us a bird’s eye view, which means that much of the time he is behaving like spiderman. I think he must have been poached from Cirque de Soleil – especially the last scene, when the rooms are reversed – the parents and the daughter upstairs in flowery splendour, while Gregor himself sinks down into the underworld.
I have no clearer understanding of what it all means, but I highly recommend the play which is now open to the public. Very cool music by Nick Cave – and what is more, I love the fact that the first night of the play was free to people who live in Hammersmith and Fulham. The theatre has a very good outreach to their local community and are continuing to do so with a big planned expansion in the near future.
