Photo credit: Pamela Raith
A gripping story of surveillance, control and the fine line between observer and those being observed.
Set in East Germany in 1984, The Lives of Others explores a world where privacy is almost non-existent and the state has complete power, with observers everywhere. This new stage adaptation of Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's Oscar-winning film has just opened up at the Adelphi Theatre, bringing together a stellar cast led by Keira Knightley, Luke Thompson and Stephen Dillane.
The story follows playwright Georg Dreyman, played by Luke Thompson, and his actress partner Christa-Maria Sieland, played by Keira Knightley, who are unknowingly observed by the Stasi, East Germany's secret police. Their home is completely bugged, their conversations are recorded and they are constantly monitored by Stasi officer Gerd Wiesler, portrayed by Stephen Dillane. As the play unfolds, the lines between professionalism and personal feelings begin to blur.
This production naturally draws audiences into the story. Dillane opens the play with a wonderfully understated introduction, explaining the world we are about to explore and the concept of surveillance. This cleverly sets the scene before the story unfolds, and immediately establishes the tone. One of the first scenes is an interrogation, which is particularly effectively staged. Rather than showing the face of the interrogated, audiences only see their backs, while their image appears on a camcorder-style screen. This allows vision of both the interrogator and the person being interrogated. These thoughtful choices work well and reinforce the feeling that everything is being watched and documented.
The staging is quite a highlight. The main setting is the couple's apartment, which is where most of the action takes place. The apartment itself revolves at various points, allowing audiences to see different angles and providing a full view of the space and the characters in it. This clever use of the stage makes the surveillance feel even more intrusive, and gives the impression there is nowhere for the characters to hide. The production plays with the boundaries between Wiesler and the apartment he is monitoring, with him being physically present within the home while listening, without the couple knowing. This blurring of boundaries makes for an intriguing watch.
The scene transitions are particularly slick. Black stage curtains close and open with effective use of darkness, creating seamless visual changes between scenes without interrupting momentum. Near the beginning, the title The Lives of Others is projected with lights across the top of the stage, accompanied by Stephen Dillane walking across, giving the impression of a film opening. This visual style is also used at points to establish time and place, adding to the cinematic feel to the production. Another striking moment is when the stage opens up completely, revealing the usually hidden backstage. This interesting theatrical choice almost makes audiences question what is real and what is being constructed, and feels quite fitting for this story of observing and uncovering what is beneath the surface.
The sound and lighting are effective. Tense music is used to create atmosphere, while the lighting shifts between dark, intense scenes and brighter moments that occasionally extend out into the auditorium, lighting up the stalls. This is a clever inclusion of the audience to further bring them into this tense world. The costumes, designed by Hildegard Bechtler, are also wonderfully suited to the period and help establish the setting. There are some particularly striking outfits which pay good attention to detail.
Keira Knightley is stunning as Christa-Maria. She brings elegance, composure and sophistication to the character that makes her so compelling to watch. Knightley does a particularly good job of showing the tension and uncertainty that gradually increases. Luke Thompson has good chemistry with Knightley. Thompson captures the character's emotions particularly well, and you can really feel his stress and tension. However, the standout is Stephen Dillane, who makes a remarkable Wiesler. He plays this complicated role so naturally, and there's great subtlety to his performance. The audience are taken along his journey and gradually become invested and root for him, despite his position within the Stasi. Dillane presents his character’s journey brilliantly. The sizeable ensemble bring the world around the central characters to life. They add to the sense of a society where people are being watched, observed and monitored. A supporting character to call out is Jamie Ankarah, who plays Wiesler’s fellow Stasi officer and provides welcome moments of humour well-placed comedic exchanges with Wiesler. When tensions are high, you look forward to his presence and dialogue.
Although it is mostly well paced, some of the developments do feel quite brushed over. At times, it feels as though the production moves on before fully allowing some moments to land. Additionally, the lack of an interval for a fairly lengthy play feels a bit uncomfortable. It is clear the production wants to maintain the tension of the story, but sitting through such a serious production for over two hours without a break is not ideal for everyone, especially as audiences are warned of no re-admittance.
Nevertheless, Robert Icke has created a very slick production, with some inventive staging and strong visuals. The Lives of Others is a fascinating and important story, and serves as a reminder of what life can look like under control and a regime where freedom, privacy and individual expression are so restricted.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Alexandra Tullah
