Review: NO'S KNIFE, Old Vic, 3 October 2016

A one-person show - in this case performed with formidable skill by Lisa Dwan - Beckett's No's Knife is certainly an unusual choice by the Old Vic. Truly, though, this production is even more of an event in that it is the first time the text has actually been staged rather than just read aloud.

No's Knife is based on Beckett's 1967 Texts for Nothing, a collection of 13 short stories. The result is a deeply strange, abstract collection of thoughts on existence and possibility, split into four sections, each with a distinctive physicality.

The piece is described by artistic director Matthew Warchus as being "in keeping with [the Old Vic's] new approach of trying to present a much wider range of work, for a much wider range of audiences". The risk, though, is that such pieces might appeal to a niche crowd of thespians and academics - and in fact alienate a large proportion of audiences. No matter how you engage with the moment of this piece and the visceral feel of each word, it is hard not to feel you have missed something.

Rarely has buying a programme and arriving with plenty of time to read its notes been so important. Fintan O'Toole helpfully ponders how the dead are ever-present and how, within our heads, "we live with what has been annihilated". In a world where so many have been displaced and suffered extreme loss, such thoughts are relevant and poignant. Dwan herself says "No's Knife cuts through the historical context to the human condition" - and this elemental approach carves a tremendous part for Dwan.

Lisa Dwan is by far the most exciting thing about this production, though that's not surprising given that she produced, co-directed and is the piece's sole performer. Her vocal scope is immense and thrilling, somehow dangerous in its outbursts yet completely reliable. This is perhaps all the more surprising for her ballerina background, as is her immensely grounded posture, only contrasted by a section in which she is suspended above the stage, and the danced giddiness of her post-performance reverence.

Of particular note, also, was Hugh Vanstone's lighting; brave, but never brash, Vanstone's work contributed greatly to the piece's atmosphere. Its contribution far exceeded the norm.

Despite this compelling and incredibly skilled performance, though, the characterful specificity of this piece's internal dialogue juxtaposed with its elemental approach. In interview, Dwan urges audiences to switch off their intellect and to engage with the text's images and moods. Possibly, though, by so doing, the audience might be rather left behind and confused as to what images are being depicted, what mood these strange words aim to evoke. The inexplicable nature of Beckett's work distracts from what he is trying to say.

Of course, even if one did engage in academic analysis of this fast-paced script, it is quite possible you'd be none the wiser.

No's Knife runs at the Old Vic until 15 October.

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

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