The Beast's Pen

In his new play, Alan Bennett postulates, with more than a little irony, that properties and artefacts are to be treasured and that people only spoil them. He berates the National Trust for its mission to make them accessible to the wider public. Blessed with three cracking comic performances (Frances de la Tour, Linda Bassett and Selina Cadell as sisters in possession of such inherited assets), this production should itself have become a National treasure. Yet somehow the whole of the evening seems worth much less than the sum of the constituent parts. Too often dialogue that should sizzle only fizzles and jokes fall flat as the script meanders and sidetracks, thereby diluting the clarity and wit of the arguments being presented. In a segment at the beginning of Act II, the play veers into broad farce with double entendres, falling trousers and even an intruding bishop, but hilarious as this is, it is a mere diversion which seems incongruous when set in the context of everything that precedes and follows it. To sum up, a disappointment but an intermittently entertaining one.

Alan Bennett on familiar territory with an hour long reflection on his parents and early life in Yorkshire. Alex Jennings gives an uncanny impersonation of the writer whose grasp of the common language and everyday trivia of lower working class life in 1950s Britain remains as sharp as ever. A nostalgic, melancholic pleasure.

I last saw this at the National Theatre in London in 2004 and remember laughing a lot but, this time round, somehow Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics seemed sharper, his tunes more melodic and I laughed even more. This pays tribute to a terrific company and demonstrates that Australia is a major player in musical theatre, on this evidence up there with the West End and Broadway. Of course, the show is broad comedy, uninterrupted daftness and stands or falls on the central comic performance, played here by Geoffrey Rush. His reputation preceded him but, internationally, it is a reputation built on mostly serious roles. The Australians regard him as their greatest living stage actor so maybe they knew that his versatility stretched to this. I had no idea. He proved to be a magnificent comic, timing every line to perfection, grimacing, falling about and writhing around, almost in constant motion and on stage for 90% of the show. He seemed to be a man who comes to life when he sets foot on a stage and his obvious joy infected the Australian audience who were almost literally rolling in the aisles throughout. An unforgetable trip to theatre Heaven!

The trend for down sizing big musicals to fit into tiny spaces has been led by the Menier Chocolate Factory, but now its near neighbour is threatening to take over. After the stunning revival of “Mack & Mabel” in the Summer, the same Vault space is taken over by this gender bending piece. Underneath railway arches with trains rumbling overhead as they approach or leave London Bridge station, some of the best singers and dancers around give everything, all within touching distance of almost every member of the audience. The show is a so-so musical, not from Broadways’s top drawer, making it little short of miraculous that the performers and production team have transformed it into what we see here. Anna Francolini is wonderful in the title role, leading a superb company. Great entertainment!

A rarely-seen 1924 Eugene O’Neill play, written before the familiar masterpieces but after “Anna Christie” which was performed so successfully at the Donmar last year. Most of the writer’s trademarks are here, a tight dysfunctional family unit, characters yearning for better lives, but the key element that is missing is believability with the result that the play comes across more like Victorian melodrama than serious theatre. The acting is strong, overlooking some dodgy accents, so it is hard to blame the actors for failing to make their characters’ words and actions credible. Also the production is fluid and creates several haunting images, but however worthy the efforts of all involved, the task of making this play relevant to a 21st century audience ultimately proves beyond them.

With the Cottesloe configured to resemble the House of Commons, the audience seated on the Members’ benches, James Graham’s new play examines the turbulent proceedings during the hung Parliaments of 1974-79 from the perspectives of the Whips’ offices of the two main parties. In an age when all politicians appear to be University-educated, “middle class” and pre-occupied solely with media spin, it jolts to be reminded of days when party politics reflected genuine class warfare and events in the House were seen to be of life and death importance. And so, with every vote counting, we see members wheeled into the Chamber on hospital trollies wearing oxygen masks and we are left in no doubt that this was a battlefield, as scenes are performed in the manner of conflicts in Shakespeare’s history plays. The ensemble cast is top class, the writing is crisp, at times bitingly funny and the direction is fluid, peppered with deft touches. A memorable evening.

Any musical that is staged as a star vehicle for a pop singer and a soap actor needs to be approached with caution, but this revival of Rufus Norris’ 2006 production of the Kander & Ebb classic dispels most doubts. Will Young as Emcee first appears as a hideous demented clown and then becomes exposed (even literally) to varying degrees of ridicule which he carries through with assurance; he takes risks which could explain why his career has already outlasted most of the reality tv winners who succeeded him. However, Michelle Ryan, although not technically deficient, gives us a one dimensional Sally Bowles which alters the balance of the show; normally her relationship with Clifford (Matt Rawle) would be at the heart of the narrative but, here, the older couple take centre stage. Fortunately, Linal Haft and the wonderful Sian Phillips are on hand to grasp the opportunity with relish. If anything, the production over-emphasises the already obvious dark political undertones, particularly in a shocking finale but, overall it packs a real punch.

The Donmar has received great acclaim for re-discovering many rarely-performed European classics, giving high hopes for this 17th Century French play by Jean Racine. Sadly these hopes are quickly dashed. The scenario of thwarted love is established within 5 minutes and, thereafter there are virtually no plot developments and no dramatic tensions as the play rambles aimlessly towards a climax that never arrives. Maybe the verse of the French original was its justification but, here, lifeless prose offers no compensation. There are just three redeeming features: firstly the set consisting of a magnificent staircase spiraling down to a sand dune is a visual treat (although it’s relevance to the play remains unclear); secondly Anne Marie Duff in the title role is always worth seeing, she stands out in a cast that otherwise lacks sparkle; and thirdly, at 95 minutes without an interval, it is mercifully short.  Josie Rourke directs. As she nears the end of her first year as the Donmar’s Artistic Director, she needs to understand that this is just not good enough.

Pre-conceptions were of a fossil of a play, a low brow farce by Brandon Thomas resembling Oscar Wilde but filleted of verbal wit and possibly  more fitted to be seen on a seaside pier than in a major London venue. That someone has different ideas becomes clear as soon as the enormous set, occupying almost half of the Menier’s space comes into sight. Thereafter, a top notch cast takes over and delivers an evening of unbroken hilarity. Matthew Horne gleefully gives us his “Gavin” in drag, making no concessions to femininity, and Jane Asher is suitably regal as the real aunt, but the entire company displays exuberance, superb comic timing and, as they hare around chasing each other, considerable athleticism. For those of us who aspire to more sophisticated tastes, there is no need to apologise for laughing so much; this is simply an occasion to sit back and go with the flow.

Details of productions seen from October 2012 onwards will be listed with comments and ratings. However, with a view to establishing credential, the following is a list of productions seen (in reverse order) during 2011 and 2012:

Philadelphia Here I Come** (Donmar)     

Hedda Gabler**** (Old Vic)     

Sweeney Todd***** (Adelphi)     

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time***** (National – Cottesloe)     

A Boy Growing Up* (Edinburgh Fringe Festival)     

Good With People*** (EFF)     

The Letter of Last Resort*** (EFF)     

Coalition**** (EFF)     

Tea With the Old Queen** (EFF)     

Murder, Marple and Me*** (EFF)     

Six and a Tanner**** (EFF)     

Maurice’s Jubilee*** (EFF)     

Dickens’ Women***** (EFF)      

Deirdre and Me* (EFF)     

Mack & Mabel***** (Southwark Playhouse)     

Gatz**** (Noel Coward Theatre)     

Detroit**** (National – Cottesloe)     

The Last of the Haussmans**** (National – Lyttleton)     

Jersey Boys***** (Prince Edward, 2nd visit)     

The Physicists*** (Donmar)     

Torch Song Trilogy**** (Menier)     

Long Day’s Journey into Night***** (Apollo)     

Making Noise Quietly** (Donmar)     

Babel* (Calledonian Park)     

Written on the Heart** (Duchess)     

Filumana*** (Almeida)     

Hay Fever*** (Noel Coward Theatre)     

Absent Friends*** (Harold Pinter Theatre)     

Abigail’s Party**** (Menier)     

Master Class*** (Vaudeville)     

The Leisure Society*** (Trafalgar Srudios)     

All New People** (Duke of Yorks)     

The Recruiting Officer*** (Donmar)     

She Stoops to Conquer**** (National – Olivier)     

Sex with a Stranger*** (Trafalgar Studios)     

Travelling Light*** (National – Lyttleton)     

Noises Off**** (Old Vic)     

Pippin**** (Menier)     

Huis Clos**** ( Donmar at Trafalgar Studios)     

Hamlet*** (Young Vic)     

Jerusalem***** (Apollo)     

The Ladykillers**** (Gielgud)     

Dublin Carol*** (Donmar at Trafalgar Studios)     

Richard II**** (Donmar)     

Audience* (Soho Theatre)     

Juno and the Paycock** (National – Lyttelton)     

Comedy of Errors*** (National – Olivier)     

Salt, Root and Roe**** (Donmar at Trafalgar Studios)     

Three Days in May*** (Trafalgar Studios)     

Collaborators**** (National – Cottesloe)     

13*** (National – Olivier)     

Death and the Maiden** (Harold Pinter Theatre)     

Inadmissible Evidence** (Donmar)     

The Veil*** (National – Lyttelton)     

It’s Always Right Now Until It’s Later**** (National – Lyttelton)     

My City*** (Almeida)     

Terrible Advice*** (Menier)     

Grief**** (National – Cottesloe)     

The Kitchen*** (National – Olivier)     

Anna Christie***** (Donmar)     

A Woman Killed By Kindness** (National – Lyttelton)      

Ten Plagues** (Edinburgh Fringe Festival)     

Tuesday at Tescos**** (EFF)     

Bette and Joan** (EFF)     

Midnight Your Time*** (EFF)     

Road Show**** (Menier)     

London Road*** (Cottesloe)     

Richard III***** (Old Vic)     

Much Ado About Nothing**** (Globe)     

Luise Miller**** (Donmar)    

One Man, Two Guvnors***** (National – Lyttelton)     

Betrayal***** (Comedy)

Emperor and Galilean**** (National – Olivier)     

A Delicate Balance**** (Almeida)     

Haunting Julia** (Riverside)     

Cause Celebre***** (Old Vic)     

The Cherry Orchard**** (National – Olivier)     

Little Eyolf **** (Jermyn Street Theatre)     

Moonlight** (Donmar)    

Smash*** (Menier)     

Flare Path***** (Haymarket)     

Remembrance Day*** (Royal Court)     

Rocket to the Moon**** (National – Lyttelton)     

Betty Blue Eyes***** (Novello)     

Blythe Spirit*** (Apollo)     

Moment**** (Bush)     

Fen*** (Finborough)     

Frankenstein***** (National – Olivier)     

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee* (Donmar)      

Clybourne Park***** (Wyndhams)     

Company**** (Southwark Playhouse)     

Ordinary Days*** (Trafalgar Studios)     

Twelfth Night*** (National – Cottesloe)     

King Lear**** (Donmar)     

Wicked**** (New Victoria)     

Seduction** (Above the Stag)     

When We Are Married*** (Garrick)     

The Country Girl*** (Apollo)     

End of the Rainbow***** (Trafalgar Studios)