***

Vivid Theatre Company stage this adaptation by Mark Healy of the early ‘60’s novel The Collector, written by John Fowles. This book has been made into a movie, a couple of theatre productions as well as inspiring songs by the Everly Brothers and the Smiths amongst others.

Frederick Clegg, played by Mark Edwards, is the lucky winners of a large sum of money and uses this to expand on his collection of butterflies to ‘collect’  Miranda Grey, Rachel Scott, and incarcerate her in a remote house inprisioned in a basement.

Clegg does not seem to be a sexual predator as he makes no attempt to assault he, if anything his attraction is infatuation and will provide her with most things except her freedom.

During the duration of the play time moves on and the relationship dynamics alter significantly as it draws to a conclusion.

Both actors are very creditable in their performances and each draws the viewer into their ‘camp’ and although the piece is more than 40 years old it isn’t dated in any way.

The play is well directed by Daniel Carver, but the restrictions of the of the acting space and poor sightlines occasionally led to some of the action being lost to a fair proportion of the audience and detracted somewhat from the enjoyment of the piece.

***

The Collector

Company: -   Vivid Theatre Company

Venue: -    The Vault

Dates: -  18th  to  23rd  August   2009

Times: -  11-45  to  13-15

Fringe Programme Page: -  p187