What’s on: The Ruling Class

‘The Ruling Class’ is a witty yet poignant take on England’s long standing social-class divide and a journey into one man’s deep and dark insanity. Jamie Lloyd has directed an impressive revival of the Peter Barnes play, which does occasionally show its age despite a recent re-discovery of class division making the play uncomfortably relevant today.

Played by James McAvoy, Jack, the 14th Earl of Gurney, inherits his late Father’s title and estate following an unfortunate, yet comedic, demise. When Jack returns home to take his place as the head of the family he proclaims himself a Deity and is immediately labelled insane by his family who hatch a plot to have him institutionalised.

The story develops into an intensely dark portrayal of Jacks paranoid-schizophrenia as he refers to himself as the ‘God of love’. Jack’s fragility is revealed whenever his omnipotence is challenged, causing him to retreat to a childlike physical and psychological state. In doing so McAvoy gives an impressively physical performance. Erupting into moments of disciplined ballroom dance and even riding a unicycle freely around the stage, the actor extracts laughter and admiration from the audience with ease.

Better known for his Hollywood film roles, there is no doubt that McAvoy is a big name designed to attract interest in the play from both critics and theatregoers alike. However do not be drawn into believing that he is cast purely by virtue of his A-list standing. McAvoy’s mastery of the stage is a breathtaking reminder of his acting prowess and it would be wholly unsurprising if McAvoy received another Olivier Award nomination for his performance. The copiously well credited supporting cast also bring more than just a hint of brilliance with a series of monologues and soliloquies, adding greatly to the plays involving, and at times interactive feel.

Well-executed stagecraft and an impressively designed set allow for minimal transition time between scenes, ensuring the audience’s attention is held tightly at all times. This is in part thanks to the Trafalgar Studios’ redesign of the stage, which has been raised by over two meters and surged forward into the audience by four meters, bringing the entire audience much closer to the action. I do wish however that the studios had also re-designed the audience seating, which if truth were told, is slightly too uncomfortable for a play of this length.

I am reluctant to give away much more, but allow me to provide one word of warning. If you are new to theatre but are hoping to begin a love affair with it (and I sincerely hope you do); I would not suggest beginning your adventure with The Ruling Class. The journey into Jack’s depths of madness jumps seamlessly between actual events within the plays chronology and a heightened reality representative of Jack’s psychological decline. For this reason the less seasoned theatregoer could find it all a bit strange. However for those intrigued by the madness, or those who simply wish to see James McAvoy ride a unicycle in his underwear with the words “God is love” written on his bare chest, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

With a limited run until April 11th most shows are already sold out and I would advise booking tickets while you still can. Best availability is for Thursday matinees.

The Ruling Class, tickets from £29.50 from ATG

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