Baghdad Cafe @ Old Vic Review - July 2021

 

When faced with the prospect of what to come back in a full production with, I'm sure the Old Vic had many an option to choose from. 
Whether it was conscious or not, what they've chosen could not be more perfect to welcome back people into their auditorium for a full run of a show for the first time in 16 months: Wise Children's adaptation of the cult 1987 film, Baghdad Cafe.

It's a straight forward enough plot: following an argument, and subsequent separation from her husband, a German woman (Jasmin) arrives at the Baghdad Cafe, just as the owner (Brenda) is throwing out her own husband. Despite incredibly frosty first impressions and a lengthy altercation, the two women eventually become strong friends.

At this time, it's a really wonderful thing to see a story about isolation that is so full of hope. In this little place in the middle of nowhere, two people who are absolute opposites find a way of putting their differences aside and developing a real friendship that they wonder how they managed without. 

Sandra Marvin and Patrycja Kujawska give really special performances as Brenda and Jasmin. Marvin is very grounded in her matriarchal performance of Brenda - a mother who, in her own way, is trying to do the best for her daughters Phyllis and Salome, whereas the mystery of Kujawska's story takes a little while to become clear (possibly a touch too long). Le Gateau Chocolat puts in a solid supporting performance as Brenda's long suffering husband Sal, and Gareth Snook (a Wise Children staple) is sweet as Rudi, a longterm resident of the Baghdad Cafe.

Haunting the 90 minute piece is the beautiful 'Calling You' by Bob Telson. It is fragmentedly used throughout the narrative, showing the internal pain of the characters at various moments of the story, and culminates in a really moving moment at the end of the piece.

It's a gorgeously designed show by Lez Brotherson (in 'cahoots' with Vicki Mortimer). The stage is sparse to begin with, with a caravan on stage and a car in the audience (!). But through director Emma Rice's signature style of production, the stage is soon filled and the stage begins to feel like it's bursting at the seams. It unashamedly screams that it's a Rice piece of theatre, with all her usual devices used in a superb way. From seeing pieces like Wise Children and Romantics Anonymous, they're familiar, but there's something so warm about them, even when you know what to expect.

There's scope for an argument that this piece is an example of 'style over story'. Having not seen the film that it's based on, I can't really comment on whether they've sacrificed some of the story to enable Rice to really put her signature stamp on it. If they have, I still think it works. The relationship between Jasmin and Brenda could probably be fleshed out a little bit before they come to an understanding, and an eventual friendship, but in a 90 minute piece I think it worked well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐