Polar Bears and The White Guard

Last week we had two trips to the theatre, firstly to see 'Polar Bears' at the Donmar and then a last-minute booking to see 'The White Guard' at the National Theatre.

'Polar Bears' is not, unfortunately, about a troop of polar bears and their witty and amazing adventures. Rather, it's about the bi-polar condition and the fluctuation in mood swings and mental capabilities of someone with the disease. Of course, since it's a play, there needs to be an engaging story and, almost, a full kitchen sink of plot. In this case, it's the story of John and Kay, John being a philosophy lecturer (for no reason that I could see) and Kay is the daughter of an artist who develops a children's book and is the one with bi-polar. Or is she? There's also a mother and a brother and, at the end, a teenage daughter.

The stage is empty and there isn't really much to look at. The actors talk and stride back and forth, but there's not a great deal going on on the stage except talking. Perhaps is should be a radio play? But, despite the lack of anything to look at - other than people talking - it kept my attention throughout. I'm not entirely sure why, but it did. The leading roles were taken by Richard Coyle and Jodhi May as the star crossed lovers and I found myself becoming increasingly interested in their characters and, sadly, less interested in Celia Imrie as the mother. In the middle of the play Jodhi plays a long scene by herself telling the dark fairytale of a twin brother and sister and she had me in the palm of her hand - I wanted to know what was going to happen to them and whether they really could fly.


I won't spoil it by telling you what happens in the end (or possibly what doesn't happen). I'm pleased I've seen it but don't go expecting a happy night out or some cuddly fluffy polar bears. It's quite harrowing in places but it might get you thinking.

'The White Guard' is a different kettle of fish entirely, set in the Ukraine in 1918 with nationalist rebellions on the right and the Bolshevik expansion on the left, no-one in poor little Ukraine can win this one though they bravely try. It's a new version of the Mikhail Bulgakov play by Andrew Upton acted out on the vast expanse of the Lyttleton stage at the National Theatre with three main sets, impressively using the stage and its trickery for all it's worth.

It's the story of a small family group and their friends who are loyal to the dead Russian Tsar but who are let down by the ruling Ukrainian Hetman who caves in to the Germans and leaves the Russian White Guard to its fate. Naturally, loves and loyalties are intermeshed to create a solidly plotted play with some believable (but not necessarily like-able) characters. I loved the sets, especially the expansive apartment the 'domestic' action takes place in, the family and friends having dinner, drinking vodka (lots of vodka) and a mighty impressive Christmas tree.

I didn't find any of the characters particularly like-able other than the older brother who seemed to have a mind of his own and a deep humanity. The others were a bit cardboard, especially some of the mindless White Guard who lived only to follow orders and die with honour. I can't help but compare this to the horrors of 'Oh What A Lovely War' that we saw a couple of weeks ago that focused on the Western Front of the First World War whereas this focused on one small part of the Eastern Front. They're very different creations but I couldn't help but contrast the horror of the trenches with a war that, at least in this play, was observed from the windows of a spacious apartment.

That's not fair, of course. We were shown the paranoia and fear of the Ukrainian nationalists who killed people because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, the shell-shocked younger brother and the officer who tries to commit suicide for doubting his commander. On the other hand, there is comedy and love and vodka, lots of vodka. There's a lot going on in the play and a lot of themes to latch on to. If you wanted to latch on to them. I think I would've been happier with some more sympathetic characters that I cared about.

Still, that's two very different plays on succeeding nights and I don't think I could pick a favourite between them. You choose.