Review: THE GIRL IN THE GREEN JUMPER, The Playground Theatre

Photo credit: Helena Hipólito

The Girl in the Green Jumper is the third show in the Playground Theatre’s Gail Louw season that has, so far, proved to be an engaging and successful run. But does The Girl in the Green Jumper, based on the autobiographical book by Renske Mann, wife and muse of the famed British sculptor and painter, Cyril Mann, capture the same magic as the rest of the season?

The problem with The Girl in the Green Jumper is, unfortunately, Cyril Mann. Although Peter Tate gives a dedicated and more than believable performance, the character is simply dislikable. Unfortunately, Mann’s character overpowers that of Renske, both physically and metaphorically. The direction by Christian Holder has Cyril sort of lunging himself (at worst predatorially and at best creepily) at the twenty-year-old Renske, at times demanding her to “take off her clothes” and making lewd comments about her breasts and how the size of them is due to her being Dutch-Indonesian. Even if Renske doesn’t seem to mind these comments, the audience do.

Added onto that the discomfort of the fact Cyril reminds Renske as she starts to gain power that a woman’s greatest asset is “obedience” and labelling her “my Lolita”. There is a content warning before the show that there will be discriminatory language and scenes of a sexual nature, however the chauvinistic nature of Cyril Mann is nevertheless uncomfortable to watch.

Renske (played by Natalie Ava Nasr) is the interesting character here who, at the age of twenty, defiantly decides that she is so enthralled by Cyril Mann’s art that she will financially support them both, a pretty punk-rock thing to do in the 1960s. Unfortunately, Renske’s role just isn’t fleshed out enough, with the real muse of the piece seeming to be Cyril Mann despite Renske’s likability and verve. There is a new romance and self-discovery for Renske in the second act, and it would have been rewarding to see how that romance blossomed and take some focus away from Cyril who monologues on light and shade and wallows, as Renske aptly phrases it, in “self-pity”.

The set romanticises the 1960s Bohemia of the Mann’s living in Bevin Court, and the stage can sometimes be illuminated with one of Cyril Mann’s paintings, with video mapping by Helena Hipolito which is a curious and effective way to weave Art History into theatre.

There is perhaps more potential in Louw’s script if it was a short film or indeed a feature film that could give the audience a necessary separation from Cyril Mann himself who becomes insufferable, at one point screaming at Renske that she isn’t the “red hot mama” that he needs. During moments like this, it’s unclear if we’re meant to be gasping or guffawing and maybe if filmed, these scenes would convey their tone in a clearer way and generate a greater sense of intimacy.

The Girl in the Green Jumper does boast potential and offers up interesting ways of exploring Art History and biography within theatre, however when stepping back and viewing the whole picture of the show, this current iteration could be more inspiring.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Nancy Brie

The Girl in the Green Jumper plays at The Playground Theatre until 24 March, with further information here.