Pains of Youth at the National Theatre

by Shari Kelvin

Vienna, 1923. Six medical students - Marie, Desiree, Irene, Alt, Freder, Petrell -  and their maid Lucy, find themselves in a bizarre love triangle. 

 

Desire and torment ensue with Freder - the protagonist in this story - being an ever manipulating presence. 

 

The play is sold as a titillating and sexual piece, but certainly bares little flesh.

 

The central theme is emotional pain and suffering, while the underlying story is a tale of sexual discovery, told through teenage anxiety and a largely negative perspective.

 

A metaphor of 1960s sexual revolution

 

Inexorably, those fitted with the traditional roles in society fall foul to the pitfalls of sexual freedom through the manipulation of the play’s baddie, Freder. The only people who manage to escape emotionally unscathed are Petrell and Irene.

 

Petrell is Marie’s ex-boyfriend, having left her traditional, mollycoddling ways for the modern realist Irene.

However, Irene doesn’t get off completely scott-free, as she is physically attacked by Marie. This attack serving as a metaphor for the jealousy and abuse the confused traditionalist women might feel in the face of sexual revolution.

 

In fact, the teenage anxiety in this story represents the nervousness of the early years of the 1960s sexual revolution, hence the historical setting.

 

Perhaps Pains of Youth  is meant as a cautionary tale, similar to Martin Amis’ new book The Pregnant Widow, where the main character is his own sister, a supposed victim of the sexual revolution in 60s Britain.

 

The ratherly abrupt ending seems to further confirm the playwright's desire to punish his own characters, especially those who are the most sexually liberated.

 

The quality of acting was generally good, apart from the raunchy scenes, which seemed a little placid and soft (perhaps a sign of today's state of affairs, where two women dryly kissing does little to excite on any level).

 

The scenography was quite interesting and the set changes innovative, with good lighting and good musical choices.

 

Pains of Youth

 

Until January 21

Cottlesloe Theatre at the National Theatre

Southbank
SE1 9PX

Free for 15-25 year olds.

 

To register log on to: nationaltheatre.org.uk/entrypass