Tag Archives: Nigel Havers

REVIEW: Art – Theatre Royal, Glasgow

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This review was originally published by The Reviews Hub.

An almost universal hit on its debut in the 90s, French playwright Yasmina Reza’s Tony, Olivier and Moliere Award-winning Art, has embarked on a multi date revival tour of the U.K.

Serge (Nigel Havers), a divorced dermatologist, Marc (Denis Lawson) an engineer and Yvan (Stephen Tompkinson) a stationery salesman’s friendship is well and truly tested when Serge buys a large, expensive, entirely white, piece of modern art. Rational Marc is horrified, Yvan tries to placate the pair, but, when they turn on pacifier Yvan, their 25 year relationship implodes.

Packed with witty, wry, well-observed, razor-sharp dialogue, Art remains as funny as it ever was and the rapid-fire verbal gymnastics, delivered by the sure-footed trio, is an absolute delight. While the piece retains its philosophical, Gallic feel, the rumination on modern art may have lost some of its impact over time. The Brit-Art movement has pervaded popular culture and is less divisive than it once was. What it still does wonderfully, is examine the nature of long-term friendship and the ties that bind. It is brilliantly clever, and beneath the laughs, it poses important questions that we could all ask of our friendships.

Havers, Lawson and Tompkinson are hugely experienced actors and the aplomb and speed with which they tackle Reza’s complex dialogue is laudable. Tompkinson’s seven minute monologue on the politics of wedding invitations receives loud, well-deserved, spontaneous applause. In fact, there are bursts of applause throughout the piece, such is the quality of the work. Comic timing is also key and each actor can raise a laugh with the mere raising of an eyebrow.

At around 80 minutes, Art is short but perfectly formed. This is a class act and an extremely entertaining evening of theatre.

Currently touring the U.K. | Image: Contributed

 

REVIEW: The Importance of Being Earnest – Theatre Royal, Glasgow

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It is hard to fathom why there is any need to tamper with things that, in their original form, are pretty much perfect in every way. Oscar Wilde’s witty masterpiece is so well-loved that, as well as endless stage revivals it has had three big-screen adaptations in 1952, 1992 and 2002. The sole reason for Lucy Bailey’s re-imagining seems to be the accommodation of a rather mature cast in these somewhat youthful roles.

Framed as a group of am-drams, The Bunbury Company of Players, rehearsing for their umpteenth revival of The Importance of Being Earnest, the action takes place in the impressive home of their maturest member Lavinia, who, of course, will play Lady Bracknell. Novelist Simon Brett is charged with providing the additional material, not exactly an enviable task, and what results, for much of the first act is a poor man’s Noises Off. Thoroughly half-hearted, it fails to provide any interesting back story for the characters or enough comedy to set up the main event.

Thankfully the action settles in the second act, and the framing fades into the play proper. The actors are a thoroughly charming bunch and no strangers to the work (Nigel Havers and Martin Jarvis both starring in Peter Hall’s 1982, National Theatre production), and there’s little doubt about the actors’ talent, but casting such a vastly experienced group of actors as a troupe of amateurs just doesn’t convince. What does impress though is Sian Phillips’ turn as a spectacularly well-judged Lady Bracknell.

There may be some disappointed audience members who bought tickets believing they were about to see a ‘straight’ production of Wilde’s Classic and one can’t help thinking this would have been glorious had it been staged thus, but there’s a brace of fine performances and a visually pleasing set to keep the audience engaged. Ultimately, though, it’s a case of what might have been.

Image: Tristram Kenton

This review was originally written for and published at: http://www.thereviewshub.com/the-importance-of-being-earnest-theatre-royal-glasgow/