There are few shows at the Fringe which are on the epic scale of Tom at the Farm. A huge stage, an impressive lighting rig and a run time of over two hours, the production has the sense of a ‘proper’ theatre. Languid pauses, serious acting and the theme of homophobia given weight by the transfer of the script to Brazil, it majors on the appearance of seriousness. Nevertheless, against the bright bustle of shows performed in small rooms with minimal budgets, it is a tedious exploration of important issues, touching the markers of excellent but disappearing beneath its own self-regard.
After the death of his lover, a man arrives at the family home, where his lover’s sexuality is a secret. He begins to live on the farm, becomes enmeshed in the rural routine and has a conflicted relationship with his lover’s violent brother. Emotions simmer, lies are told and the juxtaposition of repressed desire, the vibrancy of nature and the threat of brutality are played out at a measured pace.
Each scene revolves around the mixture of feelings, and the tragic path is clear and posed. However, this is imperial theatre, a statement of scenographic grandeur and self-conscious intensity that never fully justifies the adaptation from the film.
Tom at the Farm, Pleasance at EICC, until 24 Aug, 3.30pm