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Duet
For One
Malvern Theatres
****
As a portrayal of depression and loss in its various phases,
Duet For One makes for some uneasy viewing.
The play, written by Tom Kempinski, portrays the spirited and ever
evolving encounters between a psychiatrist and his patient - a great
violinist who has become incapacitated by multiple sclerosis.
It’s
a two-hander, so the calibre of the performances is everything.
Thankfully the leads are excellent, particularly Belinda Lang as the
patient.
She
stepped in to replace Jemma Redgrave soon after the tour was announced
and is convincing in portraying her character’s many changeable moods.
There’s a range from animated optimism on drugs to melancholy,
disinterested and, the best of them all, foul-mouthed anger.
It’s
a well-tuned performance from an actress with a lengthy theatre
repertoire despite being more known for TV roles such as Bill in
2point4Children and Agatha Troy in The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries.
Opposite her, playing the German psychiatrist is esteemed stage, film
and television actor Oliver Cotton. He maintains a good German accent
throughout and although his role is less wordy than Lang’s, his presence
is no less prominent.
It is
a heavy, emotional and often depressing piece of theatre. Yet despite
the angst topics, there’s splashes of humour too in the taught
relationship.
There’s a touch of quality to the production including a beautifully
crafted and detailed set of the psychiatrist’s home.
Interestingly, there’s a note in the programme from the writer warning
audiences of the “fake news” that this play is based on cellist
Jacqueline du Pre. Kempinski adds that the play is in fact a metaphor
for his life and his “own badly damaged personality including
depression, rage and anxiety”.
Maybe
not happy viewing, but it is distinctive with two excellent above par
performances. To 11-11-17
Alison Brinkworth 08-11-17 |
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