Venus in Fur in 250 words
Posted on 1 November 2017
Venus in Fur is a dark, intense comedy starring Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games) and David Oakes (The Borgias, The Pillars of the Earth). I would describe Venus in Fur as an intense, dark comedy about sexual power play, but you could look at this production from many different angles.
The thing that I find most interesting about Venus in Fur is the shifting of the characters' perceived and actual power. We see the power that Vanda (Dormer) holds only when we realise that she knows exactly what Thomas (Oakes) wants, and how she uses this to manipulate him.
The multi-layered nature of the play's knotted plot-line is also really unusual. Venus in Fur is a play within a play, and it is also very self-aware. When Vanda and Thomas talk about the play that they are rehearsing, it feels very much like they are directly talking to the audience about the play we are watching.
As well as being a interesting production to watch, Venus in Fur is genuinely funny. The chemistry between Dormer and Oakes is great and, individually, they are both fantastic. In particular, the way that Dormer bounces between characters is both unnerving and at hilarious.
If Venus in Fur sounds like the sort of thing that you'd enjoy, make sure that you catch it before it closes in December. You can find great seats for under £50 through London Theatre Direct.
