To whom does Bathseba Everdene belong? That is the question at the heart of this spirited adaptation of Thomas Hardy's rustic classic, which retells the old, old story about the path of true love being bumpier than the most pothole-wrecked roadway.
Hardy's novel looks nostalgically back to a rural idyll long before mechanization, when men were men and women were "dazzled by brass and scarlet" of the likes of the caddish Sergeant Troy (played with much style by Jaymes Sygrove).
Nick Young and Ross Muir have created a faithful and light-hearted adaptation of Hardy's original, which brings to life his wonderful way with words. But the novel is long, and so too is their staging. Characters deliver plotlines as commentary. When sheep get into a toxic clover field, three of them must be saved by Gabriel Oak in such careful detail as to prompt a comment by a gentleman in front of me who wished his sheep were like that. A running time of two hours and 50 minutes left me wondering if more ingenious ways might not have been found to deal with some of the twists of the story.
The play has been well cast. Joshua Davey gives a very engaging performance as Gabriel, and there's tangible chemistry with Abi Casson Thompson as Bathsheba, who seems to relish the wit and commanding presence she brings to her role. Ross Muir plays the silver-tongued and slightly mad William Boldwood with considerable relish and Emily Huxter completes the cast as Liddy and Fanny.
All are talented musicians. Almost every scene opens with a folk-like melody with appealing harmonies delivered by the cast who are all fine singers. This is, however, a minimal means kind of touring show and Laura Kimber's set looked a bit sparse on the Theatre Royal's big stage.
At end of the show, rustic comedy melds satisfyingly with melodrama as the pace picks up. Don't expect a feminist retelling of Bathsheba Everdene's struggle in this aimiable retelling. Conn Artists' Far from the Madding Crowd is an agreeable and evocative reimagining of Hardy's most succesful story.