Conceived and directed by Max Hoehn, The Queen of Spades, Pushkin’s tale of ghosts, gambling and social satire is the basis of an evening of visually, lyrically, and musically laden riches. Presented in a new version, written in verse, by Raymond Blankenhorn, Fusebox Productions describe their work as "theatre of colour sound and motion, combining talents of artists from diverse backgrounds and talents". Influences from vaudeville, opera, silent movie scores, and Neapolitan song to physical theatre and mime are brought to bear with original music and sound design by Daniel Saleeb. From a frame of reference as diverse as 19th C European card halls to lurid Vegas style lights and slot machine sounds, the gamblers world is evoked. Although the vibrancy of the piece is in danger of overload and the verse errs a little too heavily into rhyme, there are some great and memorable sequences of action and language within it. Hoehn succeeds in creating excitement, humour and a sense of experimentation that is fully engaging and original.

Norma Cohen playing the older Countess, who has lived, loved and lost her charms, pushes the boundaries of feminine allure but holds on to a certain indefinable power, delivering a witty spooking of the scheming young soldier Herman.

Jen Holdt as Liza, the young ward used by Herman to gain access to the Countess, and her 'three-card trick', is a physically deft and comic performer. She delights and holds the room from her opening ‘umbrella and feet‘ sequence, to the embodiment of a moving card table of Herman’s descent into gambling despair. Liza’s excitement at Herman wanting to meet her in’ some place called clandestine’ is one of many comic moments.

Benjamin Way’s performance as Herman is a triumph of vocal and physical muscularity; he controls Blakenhorns’ verse with perfect pace and has a Berkhoff like energy and unnerving air about him. He suffers the heat of the studio lights with true professionalism.


Costume and set design by Valentina Ricci, blur the boundaries as both women appear at different moments in the same items of clothing with a play on the ephemeral nature of feminine beauty. The set consists mainly of a back drop of white linen sheets in ruched and crushed textures. The performers conceal themselves beneath the fabric, and then reappear at different vantage points with an artful exploitation of the space created. The ultimate success of the design comes when Herman appears in the Countess’s bed as she sleeps ‘standing up’, shocking her to death. Edmund Sutton's lighting design completes the sense of a mystical complicity in the story-telling.

The Queen of Spades is an evening of dreamlike story telling. Max Hoehn gives the strong impression of a young director bursting with ideas and creativity. The Arcola’s 2011 Grimeborn Opera season featured his powerful and emotional Emperor of Atlantis; now appointed Staff director at Glyndebourne for 2012, he’s clearly one to watch out for.

Review by Bryony Hegarty

Arcola Studio 2 runs until 12 November

Venue: Arcola Theatre, Studio 2
Runs until 12 November, Mondays – Saturdays at 8pm, Saturdays also 3pm matinee 
Running time: 90 minutes (no interval)
Tickets: £15, £11 concessions (a limited amount of £10 tickets are available)
Arcola box office: www.arcolatheatre.com / 020 7503 1646

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