Pictured Frederic Chopin via Perth Fringe World 2017.
Murdoch University is providing a theatre for a new venue experience for Perth’s Fringeworld 2017. Unfortunately there is no banner sign declaring where the Fringe World performance may be at, and even once at the actual venue there is nothing to suggest that Murdoch University might like to capitalise on one of the most popular brands in Perth by saying ‘Fringe World’ instead there was only a sign for ‘Studio 411’.
This one-man live piano performance show, written and performed by Phillip Aughey, shows a reverence for the life of Frederic Chopin (and contains some dense references that may only be clear if one knows a little about this era of classical music of the 1840s). This is the story of Chopin’s last year of life when he decided to go on tour to Scotland and England to earn money. Chopin stayed with Lady Jane Stirling – a former student from six years previous – who became known as ‘Chopin’s widow’ as she ended up coming back to France with him and nursing him until he died at 39. Lady Jane Stirling dealt with Chopin’s posthumous paperwork, even though they didn’t have a relationship, dedicating two of his last works to her. The show touches on Chopin’s long term relationship with the well-known French writer George Sand and certainly brought some interesting aspects to light about that relationship which as a passionate George Sand fan I was not aware of (including her novel that has a count as the central character who was sickly, selfish and overbearing which she read out to their friends in front of Chopin). There were also monologues that riffed on the political nature of Poland and the countries fighting for parts of it. Aughey has written the script well, revealing for instance Chopin’s weaknesses including a dislike of performing for large crowds and his desire to be loved and surrounded by family.
On a bare stage, sits our sole performer doing a monologue on composer Frederic Chopin’s last days when he was dying from tuberculosis. Aughey has included music from six of Chopin’s works that relate to people in his life including his family and his relationship with George Sand. There is certainly much dramatic material to draw from, let alone the highly emotive music. However the actor is also the pianist and he is not great with missed notes, blurred runs and hesitations so it felt like being at a piano lesson where you feared the performer would have to stop. This is a real drawback in a show focused so intently on the idea of passion in music and the performer may have made a better decision in utilising recordings of Chopin’s works. The last piece Nocturne No. 20 in C Sharp minor was certainly the most convincing of these difficult works with its haunting beauty.
A bare stage can be effective, however the actor has to have the charisma to compel the audience if they are not utilising any other distractions – there was a piano, piano stool and café chair – and it felt like more was needed to create the atmosphere, especially as the Polish accent was not sustained throughout the performance and enabled us to slip back into an Australian environment.
Overall Aughey is strong in terms of how the performance was constructed but not convincing in the piano playing which could be easily modified, and this minute examination of a classical musician of the Romantic era should bring more people to discover this gifted composer.
Rating: 2 ½ stars out of 5
Chopin’s Last Tour
Written and performed by Phillip Aughey
Studio 411, Murdoch University
26 – 31 January and 1 – 4 February 2017
Fringe World Festival
20 January – 19 February 2017
