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Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
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Dying to
play for laughs
Loot Highbury
Players ***
WHEN Joe Orton’s‘Loot’ premiered in 1966, the troubled young writer was
on the verge of a glittering career. His
reflections of working class culture provided a stark contrast to the
mannered, gentile fodder that ruled the roost in theatre’s up and down
the country. The Shameless of its
day pitched against a sea of Downton
Abbeys!.One year later, Orton was dead
and the world was deprived of an undoubted and important talent. Today, despite its impact over
40 years ago, the piece feels dated and, at times, a little laboured. What made the play work in the
late 1960s was its sharply defined characters mixed with slightly risque
themes and a barely concealed dig at the establishment; in 2014 the
‘danger’ is somewhat diluted. The play’s cast of characters
- a dead body, a bumbling copper, a sexy, scheming nurse, a dithering
old Irishman and a couple of clueless accomplices - could come straight
from the pages of a Ray Cooney farce.Ortons satirical intentions were
grander than that but time has somewhat blunted his attack. Orton is notoriously hard for
Amateur performers to get right. With such sharply drawn characters,
there is a danger of going over the top and playing for laughs rather
than truth. There is, of course, comedy in the play. Orton included a
healthy portion of puns, witty observations, one liners and
misunderstandings to which the company largely give justice. At times, though, the cast
over play the comedy when it isn’t needed. Trusting the script is
important and sometimes less is a lot more. Malcolm Robertshaw’s set is
simple and effective- giving a real period feel to proceedings. The
somewhat hideous wall paper is an affront to the senses.Orton would have
loved that. The general pace of the show
is a little slow. Gaps between cues give a somewhat hesitant rhythm to
the dialogue. That said, it’s early in the run and these things will
adjust as confidence and trust in the script grows. Richard Irons sets a lovely
tone as Truscott- a kind of self appointed Poirot with an uncanny eye
for detail. Rob Alexander, Bhupinder Dhamu,
Jack Hobbis, Charlie Walters and Robert Gregory make up the rest of the
cast - not forgetting a corpse who gives new meaning to the word stiff. Directed by Ian Appleby,
‘Loot’ runs to 01-03-14. Tom Roberts |
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