Review: The School for Scandal Shines in Style, Lacks Substance

Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s intricately plotted comedy explores the damaging effects of gossip, almost ruining a marriage, a romance, and a young man’s inheritance prospects. Since its debut on 8 May 1777, it has been celebrated for avoiding caricature, presenting “natural and striking situations,” and expertly balancing refinement with simplicity. However, Tinuke Craig’s dynamic new production takes a different approach, emphasizing exaggeration.

Designer Alex Lowde saturates the set and costumes in bold, bubble-gum pink, complemented by black accents. The outfits blend 18th-century fashion with a touch of Vivienne Westwood’s flair, creating a fantastical world inhabited by equally fantastical characters. The only exceptions are Geoffrey Streatfeild’s Sir Peter Teazle and Tara Tijani’s Lady Teazle, who are given moments to share genuine, heartfelt intimacy, and Wil Johnson’s Sir Oliver, who conveys real emotion.

The actors’ movements are jaggedly stylized, resembling fast-forwarded sequences of attitudes borrowed from James Gillray caricatures. The dialogue is delivered in similarly unrealistic tones, but the energetic, 19-strong cast handles this cartoonish style with flair.

A contemporary prologue touches on themes like the “woke playwright” and Slapps, while a modified epilogue advises against living in fear of others’ opinions. Sheridan’s original text remains largely intact, with two notable updates for modern audiences. Sir Oliver’s colonial ties are openly questioned, and the “friendly Jew” Moses is reimagined as a straightforward “financier” without further comment.

Sheridan excelled at revealing the vulnerable, damaged, and hopeful individuals beneath polished social façades. In contrast, Craig’s production prioritizes style over substance, offering broad-stroke, slapstick entertainment. While momentarily amusing, it ultimately feels less fulfilling.