Review: St Joan – A Bold, Cinematic Reworking for a New Generation

‘St Joan’ is a co-production between Raw Material—an independent Scottish theatre production company which focuses on developing, creating and touring ‘bold, accessible and high quality work’ and whose back catalogue is impressive—Perth Theatre and Aberdeen Arts, in association with Citizens Theatre.

‘St Joan’ is a reworking of George Bernard Shaw’s play of the same name, first produced in 1923. Shaw’s preface to the play stated: ‘There are no villains in this piece. Crime, like disease, is not interesting: it is something to be done away with by general consent, and that is all [there is] about it. It is what men do at their best, with good intentions, and what normal men and women find that they must and will do in spite of their intentions, that really concerns us.’

A Modern Reimagining of George Bernard Shaw’s Classic

This new production, re-imagined by Stewart Laing, stays true to Shaw’s intention but is staged in an entirely new way.

It is narrated throughout as if a film were being made of it and all parts are played by only six actors. Mandipa Kabanda plays Joan and is the only cast member with only one part to play—but what a part. She is perfectly cast and inhabits the role as if it were written for her.

This new production, re-imagined by Stewart Laing, stays true to Shaw’s intention but is staged in an entirely new way.

Shaw wrote the part for Sybil Thorndike, one of the greatest actresses of her day, who would have been about forty years old when she played the part. Is Kabanda even half that age? Her publicity doesn’t tell us—but she’s certainly much nearer Joan of Arc’s sixteen years of age than Thorndike. If this performance is anything to go by, I suspect we will be seeing a great deal more of Kabanda from now on. She’s tiny, and if she is over eighteen, I’m sure she still gets asked for ID all the time. But she has amazing stage presence, and her portrayal of Joan was captivating.

The Challenges of Diction and Sound in the Male-Dominated World

Unfortunately, her diction wasn’t always perfect, so her lines weren’t always entirely clear, but that went for some of the other actors, too. And she was rarely off stage. But it wasn’t just the words she spoke, but her facial expressions, incredible stillness and the conviction with which she spoke her lines that were so entrancing. I can hardly believe the ‘real’ Joan could have spoken with any more conviction. This is a star in the ascendant.

All of Kabanda’s fellow actors also played their parts with conviction and often with a lot of humour, Martin O’Connor as the Narrator in particular. The machismo, ‘banter’ and leg-pulling that went on between the male characters was well portrayed though, again, sometimes the words were lost in the quick-fire or ‘shouty’ exchanges. Their meaning and portrayal of the male-dominated world into which Joan strode came over loud and clear though, reminding us of just how remarkable her actions were and still would be today. Malala came to mind—I will be heard, no matter what you do to me.

Minimalist Set Design and Memorable Costume Choices

The staging is pretty much non-existent: a white screen on a black stage. The costumes, supervised by Jennie Lööf, looked like the actors’ own by and large and the Dauphin’s shell suit was particularly memorable and perfect for a man whose dress sense was ridiculed. Some interesting hairdos too lads. I didn’t get the cross-body bum-bags slung over each actor’s shoulder, though they were used towards the end of the play, so I guess they had a function.

**Saint Joan Production Photography – image by Mihaela Bodlovic**

The screen was handy for entrances and exits, but it was also used to screen a couple of films. The first lost me completely: I had no idea what it was for or what it was about. Perhaps I’m just not young or hip enough to get it.

A Visually Stunning Epilogue Directed by Adura Onashile

The Epilogue, however, was brilliant. This film, directed by Adura Onashile (DoP and Editor Daniel Hughes) is modern and uses present day footage of conflict, political unrest and protest, as well as a reflective Joan sitting, angel-like, on a ledge seeing all of this from on high and making a bold response which is visually stunning.

I suspect we will be seeing a great deal more of Kabanda from now on. She’s tiny, and if she is over eighteen, I’m sure she still gets asked for ID all the time. But she has amazing stage presence, and her portrayal of Joan was captivating.

Shaw also used an epilogue, in which, 25 years after Joan’s execution and after a retrial had cleared her of heresy, Charles VII has a dream in which Joan appears to him, along with many of her former enemies. Ultimately she asks to be resurrected, but she is deserted by all of the characters in Charles’s dream, whilst being told that the world isn’t ready for a saint like her.

Conclusion: A Timely Production for the Next Generation

Despairing, Joan’s final words are: ‘O God that madest this beautiful earth, when will it be ready to accept thy saints? How long, O Lord, how long?’

This version of St Joan reminds us that our futures all lie in the hands of the young—the next generation—but also that ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’. Or good women come to that.

Featured Image: Saint Joan Production Photography – image by Mihaela Bodlovic