Metamorphosis - The Lowry - 14/02/08 by Matthew Berrisford

‘As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.’

And so begins Metamorphosis – Franz Kafka’s classic short story that’s been adapted for the stage and is now playing at The Lowry.

As described above, it’s the story of a young salesman, Gregor Samsa, who wakes one day to discover that, bizarrely, he’s turned into a bug. Is the transformation real or is it a waking nightmare – a by-product of a nervous breakdown?

Anxiety, claustrophobia and paranoia run thick and fast throughout the story as Gregor, imprisoned by his own transformation, struggles to maintain his relationship with his family. Having spent his life single-handedly supporting them, his condition worsens as his mother, father and sister rediscover their own independence and learn to cope without him – leading to an ultimate and final rejection.

This stage adaptation really is quite remarkable. Produced by the Lyric Hammersmith company with a score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, it’s a refreshingly loyal interpretation that doesn’t dumb-down any of its ideas for a general audience. As a matter of fact, it serves as a very simple and accessible introduction to the classic existential nightmare: not only will the world be better off without you, it will be indifferent to your absence.

There are two standout elements of the show: Firstly, the set design is absolutely brilliant. Most character interaction takes place in the lower half the stage; the Samsa living-room. The top half, divided by a staircase and balcony, belongs to Gregor; upended and dropped on its side, it provides a bird’s-eye view of his sparse and lonely bedroom.

It’s in this space that Bjorn Thors, as Gregor, delivers a stunning performance, as much physical as it is emotional, as he climbs and scuttles from one wall to the next – mimicking the random behaviour of a trapped insect. It’s disorientating to watch and all the more surreal when another character enters the room; perspective twists and turns, disconnecting the plains of reality. Above all, it throws a spotlight on the sad tragedy of Gregor’s situation.

There are some lighter moments; notably the crude posturing of the Samsas as they revel in their rediscovered independence and social status. It’s unfortunate that these scenes are executed with a heavy-handedness that, ironically, distracts from the reality of the show.

Nevertheless, this new adaptation is something special and it adds to, if not enhances, the power of the story.