The Cradle Will Rock
Writer: Book, music and lyrics by Mark Blitzstein
Director: Mehmet Ergen
Theatre: Arcola Theatre
Dates: 24th November- 18th December
The cradle will rock is a radical pro-union musical that premiered in Britain at the Unity Theatre in 1951 and is now the last production celebrating the 10th anniversary of Arcola Theatre before moving out of Arcola Street. Although Mark Blitzstein had completed his work in September 1936 and several companies considered the material, they thought it too sensitive a subject on which to risk a production. Moll, a new girl in town who gets arrested for soliciting, finds herself in jail alongside an alcoholic former drug shop owner and the members of the “Liberty Committee” formed by Mr. Mister, a rich villain. Throughout the play, we see each one’s of the Committee’s member’s collusion in Mr. Mister’s corrupted tyranny for the sake of money, unfolding before our eyes as flashbacks. Only young Larry Foreman, who becomes the leader of the union, has the guts to stand against the “Liberty Committee” and Mr. Mister himself.
The cradle will rock is a piece about all kinds of prostitution- the press, the church, the courts, the arts and the whole system in general. Each character represents the corruption of each area, starting from Reverence Salvation, who is ready to preach peace or war, according to the financial benefits, to Dr. Specialist who stated that the death of a factory worker was because he was drunk to cover the Committee’s responsibility. As Moll sings at the beginning of Act II (Nickel Under The Foot), we understand what many people could do for money, comfort and social standing. Another theme explored in Blitzstein’s play is the importance of a union and how a mass of people can have so much power over an individual. Of course everything starts from each one of us who like Larry Foreman will have the courage to stand for justice no matter the cause.
The setting was the jail with benches, and a desk, simple enough so that the audience will have no difficulty at all to let their imagination through the flashbacks travel them elsewhere. The language differed depending on each character and musical dialogue, accompanied by the piano, dominated the most of the play. There were songs as well at certain points. The characters were three-dimensional, engaging and often satiristic.
Although I found some bits of the musical dialogue too long and unnecessary for the development of the plot, it was a very enjoyable play, supported well by its actors and straight through to its message.
