31 July 2010

After The Dance by Terence Rattigan

Joan Scott-Fowler - Nancy Carroll
Helen Banner - Faye Castelow
Julia Browne - Pandora Colin
Dr George Banner - Giles Cooper
David Scott-Fowler - Benedict Cumberbatch
Miss Potter - Jenny Galloway
Partygoer - Daniel Gosling
Peter Scott-Fowler - John Heffernan
Moya Lexington - Juliet Howland
Williams - Nicholas Lumley
Cyril Carter - Lachlan Nieboer
John Reid - Adrian Scarborough
Partygoer - Leo Staar
Partygoer - Hannah Stokely
Lawrence Walters - Giles Taylor
Arthur Power - Richard Teverson
Partygoer - Natalie Thomas
Partygoer - Charlotte Thornton

Director - Thea Sharrock
Designer - Hildegard Bechtler
Music -Adrian Johnston

Glimpsed through the gap between the big headed men in the cheap seats at the Lyttelton, mid-run.

Despite being in considerable pain and having had to hobble from a distant parking space in a potential curtain-up missing panic, I completely adored this wonderful production.

With the exception of Adrian Scarborough's wonderfully considered John Reid, the rest of the characters are either detestable or pathetic but in the hands of this glorious cast, they are entirely engaging throughout the three hours of the performance. Everyone felt as though they'd been wearing their character for months and despite the almost farcical arc of the story-line, I was involved and captured for the duration.

Am I cruel to have gained such enjoyment from an incredibly pretty young blonde in front of me needing almost every scene to be explained to her?

I haven't seen a curtain call with such sustained red eyes (from Mr Cumberbatch) since The Seagull with Carey Mulligan.