A highly regarded 1962 book by Anthony Burgess and an even more famous 1971 Stanley Kubrick film, A Clockwork Orange has been interpreted for the stage. I have never seen the film which was a Best Picture nominee. Ten years ago I listened to the audiobook with unforgettable narration by Tom Hollander. The book is often noted on lists of best 100 books. So I was looking forward to what disturbing piece of theater this production was going to offer given the source material.
Set in a near-future English society, A Clockwork Orange begins with episodes of extreme teenage violence. The book is narrated by the protagonist, Alex, who gleefully describes his exploits with his “droogies” and then his experience with the state authorities who try to reform him. In this conceptualized stage version, the plot is given a back seat to stylized movement, lighting, and imagery. If you do not know the storyline, the play is likely to come across as murky.
This production originated in London and Jonno Davies reprises his role here as Alex deLarge, the alpha dog of the gang. The marketing (and reviews) for this production focus significantly on the cast’s sculpted torsos. Mr. Davies is not only ultra-fit, his performance is intense throughout with riveting physicality and movement. If what surrounded him was on the same level, this might have been a dystopian companion piece to this season’s excellent 1984. Instead, we are reminded that we are overdue to see the movie.