The Duchess of Malfi by ENO and Punchdrunk

This won’t be a review of sorts, because quite frankly it’s hard to define a show such as The Duchess of Malfi, – the English National Opera (ENO) and Punchdrunk collaboration, when so much of it depends on the spectator – the individuals experiences. One thing is for sure; if you do not like non-traditional theatre, non-narrative, and promenade performance, then stay clear of The Duchess of Malfi – it will literally be your worst nightmare.

Set in an abandoned office complex, and set across three floors with a maze of corridors, full orchestra, two conductors, physical theatre performers and a small collection of opera singers – The Duchess of Malfi is anything but epic and spectacular. Aside from a slight wait outside of the building and a lack of ticket checking (seriously anyone with something that resembles an ENO ticket could quite happily stroll into the performance), the performance really begins once you’re inside and given a white mask to wear for the duration of the performance.

There are no rules to Punchdrunk’s performances, no set method of watching, exploring or partaking, other than a sense of openness required for the audience. This is slightly where the first faults appear of the night. An opera is no easy thing to digest at the best of times without referencing the synopsis. However The Duchess of Malfi is split across the whole performance space. The orchestra assemble during key moments where ‘opera moments’ take place. The problems occur with who to follow.. the conductor? The performers? The Orchestra? Who will be heading the audience to the next part of the story? Ah. A fragmented opera… how are we to follow the plot?

I realise that with the nature of Punchdrunk’s work, you are meant to find your own stories, to explore as you please – to make your own performances. I’m already struggling with the opera part – let alone piecing together some kind of storyline from these operatic moments. Thankfully I can see beyond this lack of narrative, and appreciate the wider scope of The Duchess of Malfi.

As a visual form of theatre the design of the show is beautiful. Where sets seem to appear as shrines, churches, and art works you begin to wonder if you’ve stumbled into an exhibition worthy of the Tate Museum. Coupled with atmospheric music and haunting lighting if you happen to get lost within the complex and find yourself alone you’d not be mistaken not to watch your back. It makes for an eerie murder scene.

Sometimes however, it is the joy of not following the main action that becomes the more intimate side of the performance. I found myself caught in a fight between two male actors (at this point I’d lost all sense of plot, and instead was enjoying the experience) in a corridor. Before I knew it, I was running down a stairwell, and into a complex maze of office furniture to follow the action. What I admire the most has to be the lack of boundaries the performers take with the audience. On numerous occasions I was forced against walls and desks as the action continued during the fight sequence, including a rather (in my eyes) slow motion leap across our heads as the fight began to take place on top of the furniture around us.

Knowing that the performance is fragmented I’m glad ENO/Punchdrunk took the decision to bring the action together in one place for the finale of the show. Somehow the several hundred audience members are ushered to a vast warehouse off one of the corridors connected to the main building. Here we see the finale of a truly breathtaking theatrical reveal of set design I have ever witnessed. For those attending I won’t give away this dramatic ending, but it certainly gets the point across that we are currently in the ‘theatre as spectacle’ era.

It is a shame that I couldn’t follow the story of the opera as well as I’d like to, but my individual journey around the vast playground of Punchdrunk certainly makes up for it. At £35 a ticket it is on the rather expensive side (I suppose it’s a good thing it’s sold out?) but in some ways is worth getting lost and immersed in this event… just don’t expect a coherent story.

This review is less about the Opera and more about the experience/visual which makes it hard to gauge an overall feel for the show. The Duchess of Malfi is performing at a Warehouse in East London until 24th July. Unfortunately it is sold out, but there appears to be tickets on sale through various internet auction sites. For more information see the ENO website.