First of the Bedlamites' 30th anniversary jaunts was organised by the bonhomous Andy Beale - a trip to the National to see his Less Well Known Brother Simon Russell in the irresistible Boucicault farce London Assurance. More of that in a moment. I should first report that SRB's biggest joy, when we trooped backstage to his Dennis Quilley Room, was a report from NYT ballet critic Alistair Macauley praising his fleetness of foot, declaring that his ballet steps would grace a full choreography, and that he hoped to see him as one of the Ugly Sisters in the Ashton Cinderella soon.
While, on the evidence of seeing the hard work put in by Wayne Sleep and Luke Heydon on Saturday afternoon, I think that might be beyond him unless he can afford a year off to train, I grant him superb nimbleness in the few steps, including a splendid entrechat, he claimed to know. It was clear from what he said to Giles Brandreth, apparently a pal, that he felt ready for new challenges. What more can he want? He's a superb music presenter, from the little I've seen, and one of my students was talking about 'the greatest living actor' when I entered the class a couple of weeks ago.
Anyway, great SRB certainly was. Here he is with Andy and Lord Harcourt Hartley's wig, another backstage shot from me in between Catherine Ashmore's production photos.
And the performance? Helpless laughter from a bewitched audience at every entrance, every pose and grimace, so that it was a bit tough on the other actors in the First Act when left alone. But the rest of the cast in Hytner's handsome production didn't let us down: there was a spirited juve lady, Michelle Terry, as the determined not-to-be bride-to-be, a class launch from Nick Sampson's valet Cool and two great tottering, wheezing entrances from the ineffable Richard Briers.
But of course the other star role is - wait for it, if you don't know - Lady Gay Spanker, a horsy joie-de-vivress in the sublime hands of Fiona Shaw, who even seems to have worked on an ever more resonant chest voice (apparently her singing is good, too, as those who saw her Mother Courage assure me).
What's the gist? Town meets country, Sir Harcourt can't outwit Lady Gay, young love triumphs. The plot fizzles a bit in the second half, but some of the language is Shakespeare worthy and if some of the gags feel as if they might have been added, they're fun: Sir Harcourt muses on how his wife ran off with his best friend - 'I still miss him' - and servant Pert (a witty Maggie Service) accuses the attorney Mark Meddle of hanging about 'like a stain looking for a sheet'. I'd happily sit through it all again, but I'd be lucky to find another ticket.
No real laughs to be had last night at the London premiere of Rufus Wainwright's earnest divafest Prima Donna; nor was it as bad as I'd feared. Read what I thought worked and what didn't in the Arts Desk review, which is being much 'hit'. Anyway, there's something about our boy wonder and bits of his score that I do find irresistibly touching. And there he was, canoodling with his lovely boyfriend, right in front of me, only an aisle between us. So how could I resist taking Rufus from behind?
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8 comments:
But where is it, Jon? I don't think you've posted it. And YOU are a much wittier writer, so let's see it...
Cher public, I should have added that this is the man who writes for Mitchell and Webb, so that was no idle compliment.
How kind of you to say so. Well, on a whim, I sent it over to la Cieca, so you can find out how much I agreed with what you'd already said over on parterre...
Crikey, not sure that was the desired effect...expect the usual torrents of Rufeabuse there.
I noted, BTW, your noble defence there of a dead conductor duly abused by the odious 'Vicar'. And of course I wanted to add a comment to the effect that the insignificant birthdays of every old diva, living or dead, are noted, but there was never any tribute of any sort to the great Ted Downes. Of course I couldn't, because I just don't go there any more.
Love the outfit in the first photo, something to wear around the house.
Well, as you say, Laurent, you have a scarf just like my goddaughter Evi's, so maybe this is a look for you? You'd have to learn the dances to carry it off, though.
Vividly recall the RSC production of Boucicault's deliciously funny play, oh ... aeons ago! So a delight to read your account. But still wish I'd been able to see this staging of it.
[o/t: SRB currently inhabiting the role of George Smiley in a R4 adaptation that gives the whole series a new life. What a wonderful actor!]
Not OT at all, Minnie - we like such enthusiasm. You have quite a history if you saw Donald Sinden and Dinsdale Landen on stage together (so nearly anagrammatical that I wondered if they were the same person).
Be worth making the trip for London Assurance while it's still on (no doubt it will transfer), and seeing the Great Performance in a New Play de nos jours, Mark Rylance in Jerusalem.
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