Oh boy, My Master Builder, where do I start. I came into the theatre super excited and ready to watch a great and thrilling story. But that was definitely not the case, it feel so short and was left so sad and confused. This production had some big names and after watching it I left with a different impression. I thought Ewan McGregor fell very short in his acting, it felt like he had given up and was just reading and saying his lines and not really acting it. The whole production felt like they were doing a cold read, with random staging and actions. Although I felt like the actual play’s dialogue and acting fell short, I do think the set was gorgeous. It was very modern and structured beautifully and to be honest my favoirte part of the show.
I like to say that my opinions of this show fall very close to some of the critiques I have read online. Critics like Arifa Akbar at The Guardian found him “restrained to the point of repression,” and I have to agree. While McGregor has a natural charisma, the emotional intensity that the role demands just wasn’t there. His performance felt subdued, and as a result, the character’s psychological unraveling never hit with the weight it needed. It felt like he fell way short and that there wasnt any emotional battle and the fact he could decided what he want or make a choice.
What frustrated me most was the writing. It felt like they were trying to build something up for so long and then it just never hit. It was like they left nothing to the imagination. You knew exactly what they were feeling because it was said exactly there was no need for interpretation. The play wanted the explore big themes about grief, legacy, gender, and power but it felt like that were just brushing it over and then never addressing or solving it again.
Although I thought most of the acting felt short I do believe Kate Fleetwood gave a deeply compelling and emotional performance as Elena Solness. I believe she is what held this show together. She was captivating and showed her internal struggle. I agree with The New York Times praising her for her performance. She conveyed her grief, anger, and vulnerability with this undeniable strength that made her the most powerful part of the show. Overall, I did not like My Master Builder. It felt short on so many different levels. With all this star power, I though it was going to be great but, it left me feeling distant rather than moved. I would not watch this again.
Theatre in London U of A 