It's time for my review of The Exorcist.At the weekend, a family friend surprised me with some very unexpected theatre tickets to go and see horror show, The Exorcist. I was extremely unsure as to how I would react to this phycological thriller and, to tell the truth, I was a little apprehensive before entering the theatre, but I have lived to tell the tale!
The Exorcist, based on the novel of the same name, follows a 12 year old girl named Regan, who appears to have something deeply wrong with her. Is there someone from within her causing this? When the medical profession fails to provide answers to young Regan’s strange symptoms, her desperate mother, Chris, turns to a local priest for help. But before Father Damian can tackle what’s before him, he must overcome his own shaken beliefs, as this fight is for more than just one girl’s soul. Whilst I did not feel terrified by 'The Exorcist, I had feelings of discomfort throughout, due to some of the content that was featured. I was honestly shocked by what I saw and heard on that stage, and I had never witnessed anything quite like it. As a result of this, I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I was utterly captivated throughout, staring at the stage with disbelief.
Leading the cast of 'The Exorcist' is Clare Louise Connolly, who portrays Regan, the 12 year old girl that gets possessed by an unknown being that claims to be the Devil. Regan is an extremely demanding role to play, but Clare Louise Conolly does it to perfection, giving a mesmerising performance. I found Conolly's portrayal of Regan to be eerily haunting; she was the perfect choice for the role. Portraying Regan's concerned and distraught mother, Chris, is Jenny Seagrove. Seagrove fully immerses herself into the role of Chris, resulting in an extremely believable performance full of raw emotion. Two other cast members that specifically deserve special mentions are Adam Garcia, as Father Damien Karras, and Tristam Wymark, as Burke. Both of these actors displayed very good characterisations, resulting in both memorable and interesting performances. I thought that the cast for The Exorcist were full of extremely talented actors, and it is clear that, for the most part, this show has been cast very well. Having said that, Peter Bowles, in the role of Father Merrin, came across as a bit of a weak link. In my view, the character should have been portrayed as powerful, but instead Father Merrin seemed to be lacking the passion that was needed. This may not have been the fault of Peter Bowles though, as it could have been due to the fact that the character was fairly underwritten.
The writing was extremely good at raising tensions throughout the show, and it is clear the increasing tensions is where playwright John Pielmeier shines. My only issue that I took with the writing was that certain parts of the narrative didn't quite make sense to me. Having said that, I am at a disadvantage to other audience members having not read the book or seen the film, so perhaps the playwright hoped that all of those attending the play were familiar with the story and will already have a good understanding of all of the characters. I also felt that certain parts of the structure of the play could do with slight improving, with the main example of this being the beginning.
A key part of this production are special effects, which I found to be extremely impressive and were one of the many highlights of the show! Some of the special effects left me perplexed, and I still have not been able to work out how certain special effects were pulled off. I particularly liked the set design, which was tremendously detailed. It was clear to me that a lot of thought and effort had gone into the set; it was awe-inspiring!
The featured star of The Exorcist is, drum roll please... JENNY SEAGROVE!
Featured star was a tough battle between Clare Louise Connolly and Jenny Seagrove, but after much consideration, I have decided to award it to Seagrove! Jenny Seagrove puts so much energy and emotion into this performance and it certainly pays off. Her performance of the character was extremely realistic and could not be faulted.
Now for my final verdict on The Exorcist. I give The Exorcist...
The Exorcist shocked me beyond belief, just as a physiological thriller should. Whilst having feelings of discomfort, I was hooked from beginning to end. The Exorcist is a play like no other!
Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.
Thanks for reading!
-The Reviewer
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