UK Theatre Network

What is not forgiven women is soon enough forgiven men.

Fay Weldon’s adaptation of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary was first performed by Shared Experience under the direction of Polly Teale in 2003 and opened to mixed reviews. But director Helen Tennison, whose previous productions at The Rosemary Branch Theatre – Measure for Measure and The Tempest - were universally acclaimed, truly brings this play to life and provides the production Weldon probably hoped for when she wrote the play.  Weldon begins her adaptation near the end of Flaubert’s novel with an imaginary breakfast on the last day of Emma Bovary’s life during which Emma confesses her affairs to her husband Charles.  Tennison’s imaginative direction uses the small stage ingeniously as a multi-purpose set with the characters appearing from the cupboards and fireplace, climbing down ladders and emerging from trunks.(Stage design by James Perkins.) Tennison’s choreography sees the characters float across the stage with a dream like quality during the ball sequences.

Before the performance starts we hear birds singing. Emma is looking out the window waiting. A lady donning a fan is sitting in the chimney, almost reflecting Emma’s image.  A stunning picture! Emma is waiting for the mail to arrive to snatch away an astronomical bill from the draper before her husband Charles can see it.

Charles is a struggling country doctor who had been completely under the domination of his mother until he married beautiful, vivacious Emma. His mother was strongly opposed to his marriage with this extravagant spendthrift. Bored to tears by her tedious country life and the lack of any diversion Emma spends most of her time reading until she finally flings herself into the arms of student Leon who shares her love for poetry and opera. After this affair is over Emma falls into a deep depression but is reawakened by the seemingly audacious and free spirited Rodolphe - Emma is happy once again. In her pursuit for love and romance Emma shows little regard for her daughter Berthe or her husband. After Rodolphe has disappeared from her life bravely exclaiming „I had to be strong for the both of us“  Emma feels she can never love again and sees her only escape from her dreary life with her dull and self-important husband in committing suicide: „What else is there to do?!“ During her last breakfast she confesses her affairs and her spending frenzy to Charles. First dismissing Emma’s confession as pure fantasy Charles finally realises that his wife is telling the truth and that he is a ruined man, mocked by the whole village.     

The cast is excellent. Helen Millar is perfect as the beautiful, charming and romantic Emma and James Burton gives an equally brilliant performance as the stolid and insensitive Charles who dismisses Emma’s unhappiness as morbid raving and hysteria. Although the story is tragic there is much humour in the play. Charles’s lines such as “Female passions are on a smaller scale than men’s“ made the audience laugh out loud. There are many amusing set pieces in the production including the outing to the opera when Charles sits oblivious between Emma and her lover Leon as they act out the passions they see on stage or the agricultural fair with the actors taking on various characters of the country folk. The supporting cast are equally outstanding. Jason Eddy is suitably bold and romantic as Emma’s two love interests. Georgina Panton as the maid and Charles’ mother and James Hayward in a variety of roles are utterly convincing and add greatly to the success of the show.

This is a hugely enjoyable and beautiful production.

Until 3rd November

Tickets: £12 / £10 (conc.)

October 29th: Breakfast with Emma Fundraising Dinner!
See the show and enjoy a very special three course Normandy dinner with the cast afterwards in the Pink Room.
Tickets: £45 (includes ticket for show at 7pm)

30-31st October, 1-3rd November at 7.30 pm,  31st Octboer at 2.30 pm

Box Office: 020 7704 6665

The Rosemary Branch, 2 Shepperton Road, London N1 3DT