Brie Keatley
Seeing Michael Hurst perform feels like something of a rite of passage for a young theatre maker. Getting to experience that rite for the first time with The Golden Ass felt particularly right for me. This adaptation of an Ancient Roman novel, directed by both Hurst and John Gibson, is expertly performed by the veteran actor and enthralls me from start to finish.
Circa One is sparsely decorated with a simple circular cloth (the playing space) and a chilly bin. As the theatre space is so large and the set (John Verryt) is so minimal I am immediately intrigued with how Hurst as a single performer will fill the room. I am not disappointed!
We are introduced immediately to Lucius Apuleius, the author of the original novel, who will be telling us the story about the time he took his novel research too far as a youth…. He was turned into a donkey. As soon as he steps on stage, Hurst has command of the audience from the moment he walks onstage. Hurst is a very generous performer when it comes to what he gives to his audience, it is already extremely difficult to do a solo show as you have no one but yourself to rely on and Hurst handles it with expertise. My favourite part of the entire piece is when Hurst jumps between three bickering characters, each with different accents that are expertly portrayed. This is done almost seamlessly, with any breaks expertly turned into a gag. I applaud Hurst’s mastery of this difficult skill.
The sound design by Gibson, although implemented sparingly, is used to great effect to provide heightened settings for different points of the story. I particularly enjoy the random plucks of guitar to set the scene for the more spiritually spooky parts of the story. I also greatly appreciate a good use of sound ambience, which is deployed within The Golden Ass multiple times when Hurst’s storytelling traverses the audience to a new setting within Ancient Rome. As well as the sound design being brilliant, the lighting operated by Michael Lyell-O’Reilly is also expertly crafted. The stage is mostly bathed in a general wash but the lighting switches to sharp side lighting often as Hurst enters the reflective parts of the story. I am a big fan of these simple but effective elements.
Watching The Golden Ass is watching a master at work. It is truly captivating from start to finish with Hurst’s incredible performance and storytelling aided brilliantly by the minimal set and tech. A treat for anyone who loves a raunchy solo show or wants to watch a legend do his thing.
The Golden Ass is on at Circa Theatre from the 20th of April to the 11th of May. Tickets are still available here
We are introduced immediately to Lucius Apuleius, the author of the original novel, who will be telling us the story about the time he took his novel research too far as a youth…. He was turned into a donkey. As soon as he steps on stage, Hurst has command of the audience from the moment he walks onstage. Hurst is a very generous performer when it comes to what he gives to his audience, it is already extremely difficult to do a solo show as you have no one but yourself to rely on and Hurst handles it with expertise. My favourite part of the entire piece is when Hurst jumps between three bickering characters, each with different accents that are expertly portrayed. This is done almost seamlessly, with any breaks expertly turned into a gag. I applaud Hurst’s mastery of this difficult skill.
The sound design by Gibson, although implemented sparingly, is used to great effect to provide heightened settings for different points of the story. I particularly enjoy the random plucks of guitar to set the scene for the more spiritually spooky parts of the story. I also greatly appreciate a good use of sound ambience, which is deployed within The Golden Ass multiple times when Hurst’s storytelling traverses the audience to a new setting within Ancient Rome. As well as the sound design being brilliant, the lighting operated by Michael Lyell-O’Reilly is also expertly crafted. The stage is mostly bathed in a general wash but the lighting switches to sharp side lighting often as Hurst enters the reflective parts of the story. I am a big fan of these simple but effective elements.
Watching The Golden Ass is watching a master at work. It is truly captivating from start to finish with Hurst’s incredible performance and storytelling aided brilliantly by the minimal set and tech. A treat for anyone who loves a raunchy solo show or wants to watch a legend do his thing.
The Golden Ass is on at Circa Theatre from the 20th of April to the 11th of May. Tickets are still available here