Review: DOM JUAN, The Vaults

Rakes never go out of style. They are especially in fashion these days, with the likes of "capital R rake" Anthony Bridgerton being the latest gateway fantasy of millions across the world. Now, one of the most famous libertines has taken up debauched shop at The Vaults.

Theatre Lab Company and Exchange Theatre are celebrating the 400th anniversary of Molière's birth by staging Dom Juan, his 1665 provocative play that's been censored and debated through the centuries.

The playwright himself had to step up and defend his creation publicly when the French authorities accused him of being politically and religiously subversive. Needless to say, this only made the piece more interesting to the masses.

The title character is a brazen, cocky aristocrat who seduces wives and maidens remorselessly. Director Anastasia Revi's is an intriguing take, but it doesn't quite cut it. She sets the action against the decadent backdrop of the Venetian carnival, using masks and cross-dressing in an attempt to introduce genderless amorality.

But Molière's is a heavily gendered society and her eagerness to lean into a discussion on social and sexual norms doesn't fully succeed with the thin critique in the play. The result is a nervy performance that's slightly confusing at times.

The acting is flamboyant, massively influenced by the commedia dell'arte but generally lacking its depth. Lengthy scene changes are animated with silent vignettes that feel stretched to the limits of uninspired comedy. The more intense flashes, however - when all frills are abandoned and the ebullient delivery simmers down to display its bare bones - are a joy to witness.

Alexis Danan catches lightning in a bottle in a later act when - covered head to toe in black lace, donning a gold mask, white gloves, and a walking cane - he thunders over his son, mortifying him and demanding he starts living as an honourable man.

Dimitri Jeannest is the main playboy, flanked by David Furlong as Sganarelle. The duo shares great chemistry, but both actors overplay it needlessly. Their characters' polarising opinions become the only meaty conversations next to Dom Juan's objectification of women and his servant's attempts at saving his soul.

Jeannest is charming and swaggering as "the groom of the entire human race". His charisma wins over his conned victims and cuckolded husbands, but it's Furlong who steals the scene - and the audience's hearts. As soon as the doors open, he walks around the auditorium, enticing the patrons and setting an alluring mood.

They're a talented cast. They alternate languages, with the public able to choose from performances in French and in English according to preference. To an extent, it's an amusing show and it definitely looks the part. Maira Vazeou drapes brocade over wooden dock poles, anchoring the visuals to Venice, while Valentina Sanna dresses the company effectively in budget extravagance.

While we don't thoroughly warm up to Dom Juan or his philandering escapades, it's rare to have a Molière in London. The production might settle during the run (critics were invited on their second night at the venue) and it might have a completely different reception when performed in French, but as of right now it's mostly a slapstick 17th century pastiche with anachronistic references in the mix.

Dom Juan runs at The Vaults until 29 May.

Photo credit: Panayis Chrysovergis

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