Review: THE WOMAN WHO AMUSES HERSELF by Victor Lodato at Jack Studio Theatre 12 – 23 July 2022

‘A magnetic central performance from Tice Oakfield’ ★★★ ½

In 1911 an Italian workman named Vincenzo Peruggia stole what, arguably, still remains the world’s most famous painting - The Mona Lisa. He subsequently hid the painting in a trunk in his house in Paris for two years until, after returning to Italy and contacting the owner of an art gallery in Florence, he was put on trial and jailed. Peruggia was hailed as something of a hero in Italy - he had re-claimed ‘La Giaconda’ for Italy where she was displayed before being returned to the Louvre in 1913.

This is undoubtedly an amazing story and one that Victor Lodato sensitively and delightfully brought to life 100 years ago on in 2011. In this reprise, at the mercifully air-conditioned Jack Studio theatre (a terrific space), the actor Tice Oakfield brings Peruggia to life again along with a raft of characters who offer up an incisive and fascinating discourse on art and art appreciation.

As Vincenzio Peruggia, Oakfield channels Roberto Benigni in ‘Life Is Beautiful’ and Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka - all twitches and charm, engaging with the audience and constantly referring back to the painting with which he is somewhat obsessed. For Peruggia, the Mona Lisa is a living, breathing guest in his home – “she knows that one” he comments and, of and with her, he “sees something new every day”. Oakfield’s physicality and movement is precise and detailed, and his relationship with his house guest is vividly brought to life.

With clever direction from Kate Bannister, Oakfield morphs into a myriad of characters - from a monk to his mother and Marcel Duchamp - which add layers to both the mystique of the Mona Lisa and questions the very motives of Peruggia - patriotic heroism or was he just out for a reward? There is also smart use of video and sound to incorporate contemporary writing, including the critic Walter Pater’s famous essay, but, for me, this could have gone a lot further. Oakfield clearly has the range and depth to have differentiated these players still further and at times the piece gets a bit lost with too much going on.

Ultimately, Peruggia’s story results in solitude and imprisonment – “the lovers have to part” - and his underlying melancholy wins out both over his occasional outbursts (mostly anti-French!) and the sense of any major wrong-doing.

This is a fine piece of writing with a magnetic central performance from Tice Oakfield. I feel that on a larger scale it could be an even greater theatrical event with, at its heart, a story to inspire us all to enjoy and connect with art and artists.

THE WOMAN WHO AMUSES HERSELF by Victor Lodato at Jack Studio Theatre 12 – 23 July 2022 7.30pm

Box Office https://brockleyjack.co.uk/jackstudio-entry/the-woman-who-amuses-herself/

Reviewer: Paul Maidment