Directed by Theodore Casimir-Lambert

Written by John Logan

Review by Aislinn McSharry

Bedlam Theatre

Edinburgh University Theatre Company’s staging of John Logan’s Red was an exciting exposé on expressionist painter Mark Rothko, exhibiting the talent of cast and crew involved.

Based on Rothko’s real-life dilemma regarding painting murals for the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York, the play dramatizes his questioning of art and its purpose, fleshed out in conversation with the fictional Ken, a young assistant. They evoke a classic “Green Officer and Grizzled Veteran” dynamic as a “Young Student and Established Artist” combination, and their long, conversational stretches navigate the nuances of fresh and youthful perspectives in contrast with the cynical and sarcastic.

Skilfully portrayed, Rufus Goodman’s Rothko and Dylan Kaeuper’s Ken charismatically complement one another throughout. Goodman was expertly naturalistic, appropriately pretentious, and humorous, all whilst employing a well-fitted dry voice, infused with heavy tinges of misanthropy; conversely, Kaeuper, whilst the fresher-faced of the two, was equally wise and insightful, a thoughtful counterpart.

Both standout performances, they successfully delivered at emotional moments – from Kaeuper’s admission of his parents’ murder to Goodman’s anger at the doomed future of his artwork. However, it felt that more time could have been spent by Director Theodore Casimir-Lambert to focus on the play’s pacing. The script offered dense, subject-specific conversation, which, whilst mostly exciting, sometimes teetered on relentless, and decisions to leave much of the emotional escalation to later on, caused some earlier scenes to pass by a little too stagnantly.

Special applause must go to Lily–Beau Wolton’s artistic direction, as well as Tanya Molleson’s set management: the audience was easily immersed into a 1950s art studio, with its tall white walls, wooden floors, and the multitude of bold and beautiful red artwork. Dorian Toms’ lighting design also excelled, switching between the low, mood lighting of the studio, to the over-powering white lights that reminded Ken of his parents’ deaths, to Rothko’s late-night musings, his silhouette lingering on the artwork. The work of the crew aptly spoke to the play’s themes.

Exceptional moments include Rothko and Ken’s painting moment – wherein they soulfully and intensely painted a canvas a dried-blood red onstage– and the concluding scenes of the play, when Rothko, challenged by Ken, decides to take his painting back from the Four Seasons, and selflessly fires Ken.

An especially well-created technical production, this was a thoroughly enjoyable piece, well-led by Goodman and Kaeuper.

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