by Geoff Hoff~

John Fowles’ 1963 novel, The Collector, is an examination of class differences in Britain.  In it, Frederick, a socially-inept, lower-class clerk who collects butterflies, has a distant obsession with an artistically inclined, upper-class student, Miranda, who he can never get the nerve to approach.  He wins some money in a football pool, buys a house in the remote countryside and decides he will kidnap the girl and make her fall in love with him.  The beginning and end of the novel are told from his point of view.  The middle is from her diary, going back to the beginning of the story, in which she relates being at first frightened of, then beginning to understand and pity him.

The book is a lot about the power struggle between the two.  He has the power over her because she is his prisoner.  However, as he strives to get her to respect and love him, she has the power over him.  Her education, class and artistic ability give her even more power over him because he is as in awe of them as he is of her.  He promises never to molest her, to be the perfect gentleman, and showers her with gifts.

The class and intellectual differences between the two, which Fowles seems to equate with each other, are paramount.  He sees himself as young, romantic Ferdinand to her Miranda (from Shakespeare’s Tempest), she sees him as Calaban, the deformed slave.

Mark Healy’s adaptation of the novel for the stage is slightly updated (in it Frederick wins the lottery rather than a football pool as he did in the novel) and lacking in most of both the subtle and gross distinctions between the classes that is the main point of the harrowing book.  Although in the script the class differences are spoken of and represented, the thrust of the story becomes more focused on the battle of wits between Miranda and Frederick.  Also in the script, the sections when Miranda narrates her diary seem odd and slightly out of place.

The Ruskin Group Theatre’s production of Mr. Healy’s adaptation is mostly quite good, given the limitations of the script and the space, which is quite small.  (Bring your walking shoes, it plays in the Ruskin Group’s smaller studio theatre which is a walk of a couple of blocks from the box office, lobby and main theatre.)  The set by Edward Edwards, simple but evocative, has the upper floor of Frederick’s country house, his living room, on a short platform, and in front of that the room in the basement that he has remodeled especially for Miranda.

Jaimi Paige as Miranda is very effective, from her fear and horror at the beginning, to her disgust, pity and manipulation as the play progresses.  She packs a lot of wallop into her small frame.  Dane Zinter is also quite good as Frederick (oddly spelled Fredrick in the program and some of the press materials) although his accent seems to shuffle slightly between low British, American and Australian.

The staging was also mostly very effective, with very convincing physical altercations between the two, choreographed by John Colella.  It is, then, a little puzzling that the evening lacked power.  It is perhaps due to the direction (by Edward Edwards) but most probably due to the script.  The dynamics and tension between the two didn’t seem to build as they might, the sparring seems, often, perfunctory.

The power struggle between the two doesn’t quite read.  There are some moments where Frederick is decidedly in control, such as when he stands outside her door, catching her in a lie.  Also a few where Miranda is, as when she attempts to bend him to her will at a rare dinner between the two. For the most part, however, the changing dynamics as power jumps back and forth between the two, creating friction and palpable sparks, is mostly missing.

The Collector plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm through March 6, 2010.

The Ruskin Group Theatre is located 3000 Airport Ave, Santa Monica, 90404 off S. Bundy Drive behind the Santa Monica Airport.

Tickets are $15.00, $10.00 for students, seniors and guild members.

Reservations on-line at www.ruskingrouptheatre.com or at (310) 397-3244