Set in a sixteenth-century French village, Martin Guerre tells of a young man who is forced into an arranged marriage with Bertrande and abandons her and the village to go to war. Years later a man claiming to be Martin returns, and the question of whether he is who he says he is divides the community. The story is loosely based on a real historical case, which Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, the creators of Les Misérables, rework here with new music, new lyrics and folk-inflected orchestrations under the direction of Matthew Warchus.
It is a story with plenty of potential, which makes it all the more frustrating that this revival never quite finds its feet. The chief problem is pace. The evening feels rushed, hurrying from one event to the next without pausing long enough for the audience to feel the weight of what is happening. Moments that should land with real emotional force pass almost before they register, and I leave admiring the effort rather than moved by the story. The writing also leaves too much unexplained, most notably why the villagers are so invested in Bertrande and Martin producing a child. The community’s obsession drives much of the plot, yet it is never established convincingly, so the stakes feel assumed rather than earned.
There is still much to admire. Some of the score retains real strength, and when the music gets room to breathe it reminds you why this team’s work endures. Liv Andrusier is the highlight as Bertrande, giving a performance that deserves a better-paced show around it. Alex James-Hatton and Shane O’Riordan share the role of Martin, and the committed ensemble gives everything to the material, bringing energy and conviction even when the script does not return the favour.
The staging is stripped back, and for the most part this works. It keeps the focus on the performers and the story, and avoids the heavy spectacle that might smother such an intimate tale. It cannot, however, make up for the lack of emotional depth at the heart of the piece.
Ultimately, this is a respectable, well-intentioned production that struggles with its material. Perhaps some old musicals are best left where they are.
Photo: Liv Andrusier