Raymundos' Epic a Trial to Sit Through

Despite the lavish sets, sumptuous costumes and meticulous attention to historical details, Raymundo's eagerly anticipated play is the biggest letdown of this theatrical season. Judging by the crowd's lackluster response, what was once proudly proclaimed by its creator as "the most ambitious theatrical production ever conceived" could well go down in the history of the Royal Theatre as the biggest flop of all time.

For Raymundo, this disaster of Hydra proportions should taste even more bitter coming straight after the smashing success of his electrifying micro-budget debut, "Three on a Codpiece", which stunned Britain by daring to dissect the complex issues of sadomasochism and nudity in a breathtakingly raw way that was as shocking as it was audacious. Doubts were voiced whether Raymundo could retain the same kind of artistic integrity and novelty when tackling the more mainstream subject of Britannia's greatest hero, the Avatar. Still, there was a hope that the author of the revolutionary psycho-sexual masterpiece would avoid the old stereotypes associated with the age-worn legends and try to put a new, fresh and exciting spin on the familiar themes; that, instead of the usual forgettable fluff, the Avatar legend would finally get the mature, intelligent treatment it deserves. Alas, our hopes were in vain, for while the sheer scope of Raymundo's project is astounding, there is nothing in its content that distinguishes it from hundreds of rotten Avatar plays written before.

Making her debut on stage in the role of Sherry the Mouse is Amber, the young and vivacious actress whose compelling stage presence and natural beauty are completely masked by her pancake-flat character and the hideous costume she's forced to wear throughout the production. Even more distressing is to watch Laurence, arguably the finest character actor Britannia has ever seen, wasted in the thankless role of Iolo Fitzowen, transformed by Raymundo's inept script into a bumbling, senile idiot whose only purpose, it seems, is to crack jokes so unfunny they would make Chuckles cringe. The rest of the main cast fares no better, stuck in the cardboard-cutout characters so buffoonish and lame, one could be forgiven for doubting whether any hero would want to be caught in the company of these so-called Companions.

The only saving grace of this snoozefest is the unknown actor playing the main part of the Avatar, the role that originally went to Jesse, the biggest star of the Royal Theatre. This remarkable young man almost saves the wretched play single-handedly with his passionate performance, transforming into Britannia's greatest hero with the authenticity and ease that is almost frightening. His startling physical resemblance to his character is the big part of the spell he casts over the audience, yet it is his majestic presence and grace that convinces even the most jaded viewers that they are indeed watching the legend come alive on stage. Unfortunately, his is the only bright star that shines in this sea of mediocrity.