Geraldine James is mesmerising
We live in an age obsessed with persuasion — whether through advertising, politics, or the endless scroll of social media. Strindberg’s The Creditors, written in the late 19th century, shows us that the power to manipulate is nothing new. What unfolds in the Orange Tree Theatre’s intimate space is not an internet culture war, but a duel fought at the most intimate range: three people locked in combat where every word is a weapon, writes Katie Kelly.
The play runs without interval, heightening the sense of suffocation. A slightly hapless husband, a calculating stranger, and a vibrant wife circle one another in exchanges that escalate from conversation into psychological ruin. The muted colours of the set and costumes deny us distraction; what remains is the raw craft of three superb actors.
Geraldine James is mesmerising as Tekla, blowing into the room with dazzle and dynamism that contrast with the weak indecisiveness of her husband. Yet she, like him, is not immune to the manipulations of the misogynistic stranger in their midst. Charles Dance as Gustaf prowls the space with chilling control until his true identity is revealed in a late, brutal twist. To watch these three ply their trade in such proximity is a privilege: it is acting at its most exposed and exacting.
The characters are locked in what feels like mutually assured emotional destruction. The play is deeply introspective, reflecting the turbulent state Strindberg was in when he wrote it. At times, the drama felt like a cage: powerful, certainly, but also self-absorbed. It was an experience of great intensity, yet one that offered little in the way of fresh questions or lasting insights. The performances are extraordinary, but the play itself left me curiously unmoved.
Orange Tree Theatre until October 11th.
Booking and full details: https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/creditors/
