The Changeling – Lazarus Theatre Company / Southwark Playhouse Borough, London

A revival of an epic Jacobean thriller, The Changeling is surprisingly fun for a bloodbath.

An Old Play For Modern Times

The Changeling, although previously unknown to the Salterton Arts Review, is a relatively well-known Jacobean play of 1622, which has enjoyed at least a handful of revivals and adaptations over the years.  It’s the idea of ‘reinvestigating, revitalising and reimagining classic works’ which attracts the Lazarus Theatre Company, of course, and has afforded us this stylish and bloody production at the Southwark Playhouse Borough.  

If you, like me, need a little crash course in the play itself, never fear: let’s do that now.  The Changeling consists of a plot and a subplot, the first serious and the second humorous.  In the first, there is a betrothal, requited and unrequited love, and murders. The second involves a madhouse, and who will or won’t get to sleep with a woman detained inside.  Both aim to reveal to audiences how a fall in moral virtue is a slippery slope indeed, although they do this rather ambiguously. 

But with the original running as long as many an early modern drama does, it’s a blessing that Ricky Dukes (adapting and directing) has slimmed this version down to a nice two hours including interval.  This is achieved by removing the subplot entirely, and instead shifting the setting to a madhouse.  After all, murders, ghostly visitations and self-harm are hardly signs of robust mental health.

The result is a play which is slick, stylish and surprisingly funny.  Having been to a few Lazarus productions previously there are some elements I could have foreseen. The dramatic lighting, stylised movement, and generous fake blood, for instance. I did not foresee audience interaction in the form of playing with oversized balloons, nor just how enjoyable the musical numbers would be.

The Inmates Have Taken Over The Asylum

One aspect I love about Lazarus Theatre Company productions is the attention to movement. For me this is the signifier that rather than ‘just’ reviving historic plays, the company are committed to making them relevant and accessible to a contemporary audience. The Changeling sets out a statement of intent right at the start. The set (designed by Sorcha Corcoran) is dominated by a boardroom table, around and behind which the cast sit and stand through the first act. It may sound static but is actually very dynamic, creating an intimacy with the audience through the characters’ many asides.

This clever approach to staging continues throughout. I won’t share too many spoilers but as characters die, they are handed a balloon and remain on stage, ghosts watching over proceedings and occasionally acting as a conscience to the guilty. One even remains on stage during the interval, keeping us slightly disquieted as we chat over drinks.

Then there is the in-house band, The Patients. There’s a tension between their name and their garb – lab coats and turtlenecks (stereo)typical of psychiatric hospital staff. They seem to be bystanders observing the madness: that is, until they break into song. Bobby Locke’s musical numbers are fun and witty, with plenty of earworms that will stick with me. But the question remains: who’s in charge here? And whose side are we on in an abyss of moral relativism? Transforming the humorous subplot into musical interludes is a clever way to break the tension before plunging us back into it, just like the original asylum scenes. Get ready to sing along to at least one number!

Final Thoughts On The Changeling

I’ve said before in the context of Lazarus Theatre Company productions that I will take a bold idea over a straightforward modern adaptation any day of the week. The Changeling delivers on that vision. It takes what could easily be an antiquated piece of theatre with all its asides and intrigues, and creates something which feels modern, engaging, and deliciously ambiguous. Dukes and the Lazarus team delve into all the moral ambiguities, ultimately coming up with a tale that feels right for our times.

Lazarus productions are also always ensemble affairs, giving many different actors a chance to shine. Here Colette O’Rourke is particularly strong in the role of Beatrice-Joanna, exhibiting a chemistry with Lazarus stalwart Jamie O’Neill as De Flores which is like magnetic repulsion. I also really liked Alex Bird in a small but enjoyable role as Alonzo de Piracquo. I was rather sad when he was handed his balloon as I would have liked to have seen him in more scenes.

The Changeling is worth a trip to the Southwark Playhouse Borough whether you are a fan of Jacobean theatre or think it’s not for you. It’s a great showcase of what this company does well, and an enjoyable evening. Plus with unreserved seating, those who arrive early enough have a choice of whether to sit in the ‘Splash Zone’. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 4/5

The Changeling on until 28 October 2023. More information and tickets here.