Considered impossible to adapt, Gormenghast is a series of novels by British author Mervyn Peake about the inhabitants of Castle Gormenghast, a sprawling, decaying, Gothic structure ruled by the noble family of Groan.
Cue Jordan Bische, OTG’s Gormenghast Director, who fell in love with the trilogy when he chanced upon them in a Thame charity bookshop and knew he had to bring the story to the stage.
“The book literally fell off the bookshelf into my hand, so I bought it, started reading it there and then, missed my bus and was instantly hooked,” Jordan remembers, “because it’s such a great story about a dysfunctional, aristocratic family being usurped by lowly kitchen servant Steerpike, who is determined that Castle Gormenghast will be his.
‘Gormenghast is so full of life , heart, energy, shocks, surprises, evil plots, plans and larger-than-life characters with violent tendencies’
Just like the recent film Saltburn then? “Well yes, there are certainly similarities because it’s about an outsider squeezing his way in, but Gormenghast is also about the aristocratic characters themselves, none of whom really want to be there yet all band together to defend Gormenghast against the the murderous Steerpike, so it’s really compelling.”
Jordan’s biggest problem was how to convert the 900 page epic for the stage. Considered by many an impossible task, he finally stumbled across a stage adaption undertaken by John Constable in the 1980s and knew he’d found a way in.
‘gormenghast is such an undiscovered gem with real gravitas’
Pitching the idea to Oxford Theatre Guild for their autumn play, Jordan was given the green light and set about adapting Constable’s vision for OFS.
“That’s what is so brilliant about OTG, that they are willing to take a risk on something this challenging, so I wanted to stage Gormenghast in Oxford in the way that is deserves, because it is such an undiscovered gem with real gravitas,” he says.
Rehearsals started in August and since then the cast has been flat out readying themselves for the Gormenghast run from October 22-27. “We want the audience to be invested in Gormenghast, and to create something really vibrant, with an eye for aesthetics, without an HBO budget. So it’s about finding a way through that while being true to the story.
Delighted with the results, Jordon says the level of acting is extraordinary: “Our Gormenghast is so full of life with real heart, energy, shocks, surprises, evil plots, plans and larger-than-life characters with violent tendencies,” he says.
“So yes it’s a bit different, but why not? Look at the popularity around House of The Dragon and Game Of Thrones. Fantasy is back in a big way. People love power struggles between rival factions, and Gormenghast has that in spades.”
Gormenghast runs at Oxford’s Old Fire Station on October 22-27. https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/oxford-theatre-guild-present-gormenghast/