The Exchange
By Paul Claudel
Directed by David Furlong
SPICE Festival
Hackney Empire

A universal and contemporary cocktail of Vaudeville and Melodrama

A Two Act play represents a universal story about the contradictions between money and spirituality as well as the exchanges of culture and times. Here we examine “Wants” and “Needs” in an environment where everything is up for sale, even love - a simple story set against the backdrop of a complicated spiritual journey with a nice balance of surrealism to get you reading between the props – whops, I mean, lines.

The Exchange follows the lives of four characters: Louis Laine, Native American and his newly wed wife Marthe, a French woman, who both move to a sanctuary. They seem pretty satisfied, or pretend to be, until they meet, Thomas Pollock Nageoire, a rich self-made businessman and Lechy Elbernon, an eccentric actress.

The Acting was superb, focused and full of energy. Kevin Rowntree gave a committed and powerful performance as Thomas Pollock Nageoire, the rich self-made businessman.

The protagonist here is the Dollar Bill – who is beautifully scrutinised and one of the most powerful lines that resonated with me was: “Money…something you exchange for something better” Another great one was: “How men become innocent again after betraying their wife’s”

In-between the moments of deep contemplation, I was highly entertained, in this surprisingly funny production, without missing the involvedness of human nature.

Written by Paul Claudel, a French poet, playwright, and diplomat, who balances poetry with plot and Paul Claudel proves it is possible to have a love affaire with language without turning the dialogue into prose’s.

Director David Furlong had the labours task of translating the first English translation to this French Classic. Credit, also go’s to the Echange Theatre Company for staging the first English premier of The Exchange.

Keep your eyes open for the nest Echange Theatre Company production.