To Kill a Mockingbird

The highly-stylised direction of Marion Wyatt reveals the simplicity and strength in Christpher Sergel's writing

The highly-stylised direction of Marion Wyatt reveals the simplicity and strength in Christpher Sergel's writing. The plot is carried by three 13-year-old actors and the older alter ego of one of them; as this revenant remembers an event in Macon County, Alabama, in 1935, the elements of a defining moment slot easily into place, given the same weight on stage as in Harper Lee's novel.

A co-production which involves Geoff Gould, Artistic Director of Everyman, this presentation quickly establishes production values which mark it as an important theatrical event for Cork. Yet it is not easy to understand why so many of the cast prefer to address the back of the stage (a crippling defect during the court scenes) unless they have fallen in love with Patrick Murray's set: this embraces and enlarges the stage in slatted fencing and provides an important depth of perspective. Equally the lighting design by Conleth White catches the warm terracotta glow and in both range and accuracy contributes enormously not just to atmosphere but to the actual movement of the play.

Steve Toussaint's crucial performance as Tom Robinson resounds with dignity, and although Clodagh Bowyer as the reminiscent Jean Louise and the remarkably-concentrated Ailish Symons as Scout don't need the lesson in projection offered by Toussaint, almost everybody else on the stage has something to learn about voice production.

Until March 28th.

Mary Leland

Mary Leland is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in culture