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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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Funny peculiar and ha ha
Striking pose: Richard Woodward (left) as the mysterious Widdecombe with Jonathan Richardson as Robert Stage Struck Hall Green Little Theatre **** SIMON Gray's play Stage Struck, is a peculiar piece of
theatre as you are never quite sure as to what it is intended to be.
In the first instance it's a murder mystery with a
sizable helping of twists and turns. In another it's a biting satire,
portraying the bitchy world of Theatre actors, their associated tantrums
and paranoia's and then in another it's a stark psychological statement
about abuse and cruelty. It's these identity complications that leave you
bewildered in a few places as the plot not only changes,
as might be expected, but
becomes something altogether different to what it was when it started. First we have Robert, played brilliantly by Jon
Richardson. Robert is the actor husband of a successful stage actress.
Practically reduced now to the home help, having suffered a lifetime of
failures and minor roles, he treats the world and his relationships with
a bitter but amusing sarcasm. Richardson gave a very measured and effective
performance reminiscent of Rigsby from Rising Damp. Even the understated
delivery of his precise and cutting wit sounded a little like the late
Leonard Rossiter. Next is Anne his actress wife, played by Hall Green
newcomer Claire Lizanne Flaherty who did a good job as the overdramatic
stage struck diva. Anne is performing in a West End play and suffering
badly due to the antics of her stage opposite Tom and her opening
account of the play and theatre life to Robert in the opening scenes
permits for some very funny interchanges.
Whilst we were warned beforehand about the use of
gunshot effects it should have also included a note about Miss
Flaherty's scream as at one point it was that intense and sudden that
everyone ducked as though a live hand grenade had gone off in the room. Next we have Herman played by a Ryan Knight, a
character who lives in the cottage in the grounds of Anne's and
Roberts's home and Herman seems almost irrelevant to the plot until the
final scenes. There is an odd monologue on his character's past that
seems to come out of nowhere in the play and whilst the young Mr Knight
seemed a bit too young to be playing the role he never the less
delivered another good performance. Finally there is the shady Widdecombe who is
supposedly an analyst but turns out to be something completely
different. He is played by
Richard Woodward another recent newcomer to hglt and again Widdecombe
has another `out of plot' moment in the play when supposedly to be shot
dead rises up to tell us about
his inner thoughts as if time has frozen, before returning to life and
back into the play setting. The play is directed by Amanda J Grant (no
relation) and it was
good see that the small studio theatre was full to capacity and everyone
thoroughly enjoying this clever, laugh out loud, but at times, peculiar
play. To 22-06-13. Jeff Grant |
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