When Thomas Middleton and William Rowley first presented their play, circa 1622, the meanings of the word 'changeling' could include a foolish or untrustworthy person, or the substitution of one person or thing for another. Times change, and today, the play's major concern with female chastity before marriage may be less common, but the loaded issue of 'change' in the title is something with which we can all identify.
In this impressive production, Lazarus Theatre Company continues its 2007 foundational ethos in making canonical plays accessible to modern audiences while retaining the piece's original spirit. Here, subplots are cut to accommodate a nimble 120 minutes (the two hours' traffic of the stage, as Shakespeare would say).
Focus falls on Beatrice Joanna (Colette O'Rourke) who wants to marry Alsemero (Mylo McDonald) but is promised to family-favourite Alonso de Piracquo (Alex Bird, in an achingly melancholic performance). To engineer the change she seeks, this seemingly good girl enlists the help of loathed servant DeFlores (a muscular Jamie O'Neill) whose partially unpalatable visage earns him the misnomer of 'dog-face', and who, in turn, burns with a passion for Beatrice Joanna. Once murder is afoot, she realises that a personal price must be paid; and in order to change this outcome, manipulates her sweet yet gullible maid, Diaphanta (an impressive Henrietta Rhodes), into switching roles—with dire consequences.
Artistic Director Ricky Dukes's fine adaptation reduces the 'madhouse' part of the play to a backdrop (a slogan at a wedding) with musical interpolations here and throughout by a uniformly talented cast, but with a special shout-out to Mikko Juan's mastery with the handheld microphone. These interludes, strange on paper, help to balance the comedy / tragedy aspect of revenge drama.
The small auditorium (roughly three rows deep, in a horseshoe shape around the stage) creates an intimate feel between actors and us, the audience, who surround designer Sorcha Corocan's set of conference table, blood-red leather chairs, desk lamps and telephones that suggest the need for light and communication amongst the dark misunderstandings. We benefit, too, from the play's many asides delivered with a character's knowing turn that implies both the confessional and complicity. The company's impressive ease with some major tongue-twisting diction is enhanced by great sound design by Sam Glossop.
There is an age warning of 14+ and audiences are asked to anticipate flashing lights, smoke and blood. But gore is in line with the play's needs and was fine for this squeamish reviewer. Don't go changing, Lazarus: continue with productions like this. It is "bloody" great.