Metamorphosis – Liverpool Playhouse

Originally written in 1915 as a novella Franz Kafka’s claustrophobic and deeply unsettling classic is brought to the stage by one of this country’s finest physical theatre companies, Frantic Assembly.

Poet Lemn Sissay OBE has successfully adapted Kafka’s dark story of devilish transformation and its presented here in all its surreal and muscular glory.

Kafka’s dark fairy tale is simple in its construct , telling the story of Gregor Samsa a travelling salesman who slowly turns into a gigantic insect much to the horror and distaste of his dysfunctional family.

Given that the subject matter would be quite difficult to translate to either film or stage Frantic Assembly and Lemn Sissay have achieved some success in delivering an uncompromising and totally addictive piece of theatre.

Sissay’s adaptation is wonderfully lyrical but at the same time unrelenting in the starkness of Samsa’s transformation and his parasitic family who just see  him as a money earner and nothing much else.

I did feel that some of the monologues and quiet reflective moments presented here were a bit overlong and slowed the pace somewhat and the actual physicality (which Frantic Assembly are famous for)  was put on the back burner some but not all of the time.

Director Scott Graham gets all round outstanding performances from his small cast and the actual set design (Jon Bausor), video design (Ian William Galloway) and lighting design (Simisola Majekodunmi) are  simply amazing – you are immediately drawn into Samsa’s disturbing and nightmarish world – whether you like it or not.

Rather than relying on monstrous make up and special effects, actor Felipe Pacheco wonderfully inhabits the role of Samsa through his faultless physicality and immaculate acting skills – really jaw dropping stuff and his use of  the furniture and the rest of the set is truly awesome – to say more, would spoil the spectacle.

Joe Layton gives a finely judged and often chilling performance as the Chief Clerk, moving around the stage almost cloaked in the pure essence of villainy. Troy Glasgow as Samsa’s father is excellent throughout as is Louise Mai Newberry as Samsa’s mother –  both actors provide energy, balance, and comedic relief to the overall production. Hannah Sinclair Robinson gives a sympathetic and sensitive performance as Samsa’s vulnerable sister Grete.

 All five actors positively shine throughout this stark and poetic retelling of Kafka’s dark classic.

Graham’s production of Metamorphosis is  superbly crafted – some minor flaws yes, but overall, a captivating take on a classic tale and a true theatrical event to be savoured.

Reviewer: Kiefer Williams

Reviewed: 17^th October 2023

North West End UK Rating: