'Passion' at The Donmar

After I'd promised not to nod off or sigh loudly Chris took me to see 'Passion' at the Donmar Warehouse, another Sondheim 80th birthday celebration production. The Donmar is tiny but has a reputation for delivering productions that most theatres would kill for, and this is no exception.

The story of the play starts out as quite straight forward, of our hero, Giorgio, who is a captain in the Italian army in the late 19th Century with his lover, Clara, in Milan. He is transferred to an outpost in the mountains where his commanding officer's female cousin, Fosca, lives in the same mansion as the officers and, gradually, the two get to know each other through little acts of kindness. Then she obsesses, stalks and generally makes our hero's life miserable with her love. Or is it obsession? He escapes to Milan to resume his light and airy love with Clara and then... I'll leave that a secret so I don't spoil the plot.

'Passion' is a study in just that - passion. It explores the extremes of love and human relationships and how far we would go for the one we love if, indeed, it is really love. This is all quite brave for a musical, it's not upbeat or positive at all, but a serious examination of what might happen if love or passion escalates beyond all reason. I've no idea why it's set in 19th Century northern Italy but there was more facial fur on display on the army officers on the stage than I've seen in ages (and I'll be terribly disappointed to learn that most of it was stuck on half an hour before the start of the show).

I was deeply impressed by this production. The first half hour acquainted me with the characters and then slowly, ever so slowly, started to drag me into it, deeper and deeper, taking Fosca's stalking personally until understanding dawned. All credit to James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim for writing such a powerful piece of theatre. It ends incredibly sadly with a death but that is the only way it could end. And with understanding and enlightenment.

It's a triple-header production, with Scarlett Strallen as Clara, all blond and light-coloured clothes, Elena Roger as dark and plain Fosca and, the centre of their attention, David Thaxton as Giorgio in a rather ill-fitting uniform. I haven't come across David before but he'll be worth watching, with good acting and singing. I've seen Elena before as Edith Piaf at the Donmar. She has a voice worth listening to.

Although it's sold out, if you get the chance to see this show I'd recommend it. If you aren't ever so slightly choked by the end then you either aren't human or haven't felt love. Thank you Mr Sondheim and Mr Lapine for penning something so powerful.