In a new production at Citizens, Glasgow, director Stewart Laing presents a modernist adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan. The play, co-produced by Raw Material, features newcomer Mandipa Kabanda as the Maid of Orleans, delivering a performance of rare pace and urgency.
Laing's interpretation stays true to Shaw's original text, avoiding the ironic deconstruction seen in his previous work. Instead, he offers a streamlined version that incorporates camera angles from Shaw's unproduced film adaptation, focusing on themes of religious conviction, ecclesiastical power, and youthful rebellion.
Kabanda tears through the dialogue with drive, matching the other actors in intensity. The male characters wear earpieces, suggesting they are syncing their lines to a recording, implying that Joan's internal voices are no less valid than theirs.
Laing includes an epilogue featuring a film by Adura Onashile, which juxtaposes modern-day protesters with images of Kabanda calling for action. This contemporary commentary echoes Shaw's own political engagement, likely pleasing the playwright despite historical critical reservations.
