A bright coil globe illuminating the stage and the rough texture of a curtain behind graspes the attentiveness of the audience; White’s obscure, yet delightful The Ham Funeral is seen as a vague and ambiguous play from the moment the curtain has risen. As a strange young man (Luke Clayson) emerges from the depths of nothingness, his prologue is left seeking for truths as the viewer was reminded of his constant presence and the significance he situated in the production.
This Young Man character is our gateway to the most inner and prolonged insights, he delivers the most vital and significantly emotional opinion of them all. He is our protagonist, our provider with his sensual dialogue and constructiveness in his manifestation. The remaining characters are all vaudevillian in their style; however the Young Man is witty in his approach and in with his connection to his audience. His ever-awkward accompany, the Landlady (Amanda Muggleton) has a voluptuous, yet somehow gratifying persona which makes for an engaging observation. Her ever-so slightly desperate self would do anything to better herself. She seems ill-fated about her coming of age and yearns for a love in her libido-less life. Muggleton draws the attention to herself and brings about her unfailingly quality which compresses her viewers. This is portrayed through her loud, ear evoking voice and her immense manifest upon the stage. She presents change, suggestive pleasure and expression. She impacts the audience’s mood with her uncomfortable, yet immaculate charm. Her husband the Landlord (Jonathan Mill) is quiet and basically lifeless. As his hand grasps a smoking pipe and sits in an immobile fashion in silence, he brings about an affront to those who surround his presence. He can be perceived by others to having a rough exterior; however nearing his death he is seen to be deep and gentle. The excuse for his lifelessness is described by the speechless man himself when he states that his life has been ‘simple’ and that ‘it doesn’t bear telling about’. Their overall style of acting was over the top, as evident in their body language and the delivery of their lines, employing a dramatic, melodramatic and exaggerated impression.
The Ham Funeral