Toneelgroep Amsterdam's season at the Barbican continues with a new play, based on a
film by Luchino Visconti - whose work Ivo van Hove frequently stages - and with a
cast half made up of Dutch ensemble members, and half of British guest actors
(although at times even the latter seem to have picked up the Dutch accent.) After
filling it with furniture and audience members for
Roman Tragedies, Jan Versweyveld
uses the size of the Barbican stage to leave vast empty spaces for
Obsession,
which takes place in a bar - one that apparently does have some customers, we just
don't get to see them. Instead Gino (Jude Law,) a drifter, wanders in playing the
harmonica and looking for something to eat, which he may or may not be able to pay
for. He's a mechanic and stays to do a few jobs around the place in exchange for his
room and board, but the real reason he's sticking around is because he's fallen
instantly in lust with the barmaid Hanna (Halina Reijn,) and the second her much
older husband Joseph (Gijs Scholten van Aschat) is gone they start an affair.
