Full Breakdown
Stage Adaptation of Max Porter’s *Lanny* Opens at Bristol Old Vic
By Drooid · · How we work
The Production’s Core Elements
The adaptation, written by Bea Roberts, premiered at the Bristol Old Vic. Nancy Medina directs, while Rebecca Jane Wood provides a set that evokes both village streets and a shadowy woodland, using screens that display stark images of bare trees and antler-shaped silhouettes. Zeynep Kepekli’s lighting contrasts warm and cold tones to underscore the play’s shifting moods. The cast includes Raj Bajaj as Robert, Hanora Kamen as Jolie, Lucian Thomas as the missing boy Lanny, and Richard Cant as the bohemian local artist “Mad Pete,” who becomes a prime suspect in the disappearance.
Narrative Focus and Critical Observations
The story follows the urban couple Robert and Jolie as they settle in a rural village, only to have their son Lanny vanish. The plot intertwines the investigation with the myth of Dead Papa Toothwort, a “green man” figure linked to the land. Reviewers note that the production balances horror and humor, though they argue that the emphasis on myth sometimes overshadows domestic realism. The critique highlights the portrayal of village homophobia and an added racial dimension—Lanny is identified as a brown boy—while suggesting these aspects are not fully explored. The final scene is described as surreally hallucinatory, ending on an ambiguous note that could be interpreted as a pagan miracle or a symbolic resolution.
Themes of Belonging and Rural Dislocation
According to the review, the play interrogates who belongs in the countryside and who the land itself belongs to, reflecting broader anxieties about urban newcomers facing judgmental neighbours.
Cultural Resonance
By merging contemporary social commentary with ancient folklore, the production offers a lens on modern English rural life, suggesting that mythic narratives continue to shape community identity and personal grief. The staging’s visual and auditory techniques aim to immerse audiences in a world where the ordinary and the uncanny coexist, reinforcing the novel’s original blend of multiple voices and perspectives.