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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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An evening of senior moments
Quartet
The Nonentities
***** RONALD Harwood’s gently comedy is that
rare theatrical beast, And the delightful cast of four grabbed the
chance with relish. The play revolves around a home for retired
theatricals from the world of opera with residents living in a world of
memories and sad knowledge that they used to be someone, and some can
even remember who.
Three of the inmates, as they call themselves,
often sang together and have formed their own geriatric gang which,
unknown to them, is soon to be joined by a fourth, to make up the
celebrated quartet which performed in THE post-war Rigoletto back in the
day – a performance so memorable among opera buffs it has just been
reissued on CD. There is Wilf, whose interests appear to be sex
and . . . well sex really, and in the hands of Stanley Barton w Then there is Cissie, the mezzo-soprano, whose
mind wanders between here and Karachi . . . don’t ask . . . who was a
bit of her goer in her time and in truth her mind is still a bit of a
goer, as in not always there, even now. It is a delightful portrayal of
dottiness from Vilma Watson.
And completing the trio is Reg, the tenor, staid,
old, precise and frankly boring Reg played by Colin Young who gives us a
master class in studious, humourless, dullness, only becoming animated
in his daily breakfast battle with a hated nurse. They have been asked to perform at the annual
Verdi Birthday Concert but cannot decide what to do until a new arrival
appears, celebrated soprano Jean Horton, the
If only life was that simple. First of all Reg
had a miserable and very short marriage to Jean many years, and in
Jean’s case, many husbands ago, something he does not wish to discuss,
while Jean, played with a diva aloofness and frosty demeanour by Pamela
Meredith, refuses point blank to sing a note.
From that point of animosity we start to learn
more and more about each character, and despite having known each other
for a lifetime they discover things about each other and even themselves
as we head to the gala concert and the intriguing question of will they,
won’t they sing. It is a play that will make you laugh a lot, but
it will also make you cry a little as you see characters coming to terms
with what they are – old. Reg is the only one who enjoys old age, and
that is only for the saddest of reasons – it makes him forget things he
does not want to remember. Cissy is on the cusp, hanging on to the present
by her fingertips while Jean, the once feted, opera superstar, is a
charity case, without two pennies to rub together. Hobbling about in
pain waiting for a hip operation; someone who can now hardly stand
living on memories of past standing ovations. Then there is Wilf, who rages against growing
old, at time slowly stealing his life. He perhaps, in his direct way,
says what all the old feel. Age take no prisoners. Every man wants to
boast of being a three or even four times a night man – but not when it
involves a trudge down the landing to avail oneself of the plumbing. Laughs a plenty and plenty of poking fun at old
age and mortality but it is tinged with poignancy – a bit like looking
at a holiday brochure, we are seeing a life we all might be heading for
one day..
Director Richard Taylor has created a fine
production, well paced and balanced, cleverly using stage crew dressed
as nurses – it is a retirement and care home remember – for the scene
changes while Keith Higgins and Mike Lawrence have produced an effective
and, I am sure older members of the audience hope, a realistic set. Got
to be prepared, just in case. Forget this is amateur theatre, this is theatre,
full stop, a beautiful production that would not look out of place up
the road at the Grand. A treat well worth seeing. To 17-05-14 Roger Clarke
13-05-14 |
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a play written entirely for actors of . . . should we say a more mature
disposition, the more seasoned thespian with many boards already trod.
e
have a once famous baritone with a permanent twinkle in his eye and a
quickness of wit to seize any opportunity for innuendo. Barton’s timing
and devil may care attitude is a pleasure to watch and there is genuine
sympathy when we find him deflated and hurt, not by his own doing, but
the perception of others in the closing scenes.
missing
Gilda, and it seems the problem is solved – they are reunited for their
Bella figlia dell'amore, their famous quartet from Verdi’s
Rigoletto.