Barefoot in the Park, Richmond Theatre, May 2012

This Neil Simon comedy was co-directed by Maureen Lipman who also played the part of the mother, Mrs Banks. As in all comedies, timing is of the essence, and Lipman was superb, as was Oliver Cotton as Victor Velasco, the engagingly impecunious Hungarian neighbour of her newlywed daughter Corrie.

The newlyweds at home

Corrie schemes to get her mother out to dinner with Velasco, along with herself and her husband, and the resulting four inebriated people somehow manage to make it through to a new day. Dominic Tighe was wonderfully natural as the young lawyer husband who eventually walks barefoot in the park, causing Faye Castelow as his wife to feel sudden sympathy for him and vow to make the marriage work. But it’s her mother who sets her up to be reasonable, and the comic character of Mrs Banks has a serious purpose to play.

Excellent designs by Tim Goodchild, appropriately nineteen sixties, were well lit by Nick Richings, and the brief but beautifully appropriate musical interludes during scene changes were the work of Matthew Bugg. This was Neil Simon’s first big Broadway hit, and the theme of two newlyweds coming to grief as they set up in their own flat after a week’s honeymoon is timeless.

Oliver Cotton and Maureen Lipman

The drunken scene, with Maureen Lipman sliding her heels uselessly on the carpet as she tries to stand up, was beautifully done. After sleeping it off she recovers her effervescent charm and can finally give her daughter a bit of very sound advice, “Give up a little of yourself for him . . . Take care of him. Make him feel important. Then you’ll have a wonderful marriage, like two out of every ten couples”. Well said, well played and well directed.

Performances at Richmond continue until May 5 — for details click here — and on May 7 it moves to the Arts Theatre, Cambridge.

The Syndicate, Chichester, Minerva Theatre, August 2011

A stylish 1960s Neapolitan Godfather who only bribes or uses force when “it’s in a good cause”, Don Antonio is still forceful at age 75, compelling immense obedience and respect. When asked to adjudicate things, he listens but he’s the one who poses the questions and persuades the two parties to a just solution.

Gavin Fowler centre, all photos Manuel Harlan

Ian McKellen

The author, Eduardo de Filippo (1900–84) was a son of Naples and a National Treasure, a celebrated playwright, and a brilliant actor famous for his pauses and light gestures. With such a remarkable actor behind the original creation, playing the main role in this drama must be a challenge, but Ian McKellen rose to it superbly. His portrayal was wonderfully sympathetic, his timing perfect.

Michael Pennington

Events start with barking dogs and noises off, after which Michael Pennington, as Don Antonio’s doctor and right hand man, appears to be the principal character, dealing efficiently with the ugly kerfuffle of a wounded man. Yet as Don Antonio enters it becomes clear who is in charge, and only at the end does Pennington take centre stage again. He was entirely convincing throughout, well aided by the other cast members who all owe allegiance to Don Antonio. Well, almost all, because one man decides to reject his well meant advice. This was Arturo, a friend from way back, well played by Oliver Cotton, showing initial strength that soon turns to narcissistic weakness and fear. Gavin Fowler gave a fine portrayal as his estranged son Rafiluccio, and Annie Hemingway showed utter plainness and emotional anguish as the son’s pregnant ‘woman’. By contrast, Cherie Lunghi as Don Antonio’s wife was pretty, charming and beautifully controlled.

The entire cast worked together in a way that allowed this drama to show what its author surely intended — a slice of life. The family is central to everything, and when Don Antonio’s attempt to reconcile father and son fails he decides to take matters into his own hands. The result is unexpected, and suddenly the play shows up the dissimulation of weak minds, who simply say what they think they’re supposed to.

As a playwright, Eduardo de Filippo insisted that the simplest means of production could produce the most impact, and is quoted as saying ‘Six meters of front stage, no more. I staged everything I wished in a few square metres like these’. This production by Sean Mathias in a new English version by Mike Poulton adheres admirably to this dictum. It’s simple and theatrically very effective — catch it now in its first performances with this wonderful cast.

Production images will be put up later, when available.

Performances at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester continue until August 20 — for details click here. It then goes on tour to: Malvern Festival Theatre, Aug 23–27; Cambridge Arts Theatre, Aug 29–Sept 3; Theatre Royal Bath, Sept 5–10; Milton Keynes Theatre, Sept 12–17.

Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Globe Theatre, London, July 2010

With an audience on three sides of the stage, plus the casual openness of the standing area, Roger Allam was well placed to give us a wonderful interpretation of Falstaff. His contact with the audience was inspired, and they loved him, yet there was nothing over the top in his shrewd levity, ever ready to recover from the jibes and rejections of others.

Falstaff with Mistress Quickly and Bardolph, photo by John Haynes

Apart from Falstaff, these plays have no central character given to introspective soliloquies, so it is more the case of one actor playing off another, and many of the cast did this well, performing more than one role. William Gaunt and Christopher Godwin were amusing as the old duo Shallow and Silence in Part 2, while having been far more direct and vigorous as Worcester and Northumberland, and I liked Paul Rider both as Bardolph, and in his vignette as the Archbishop of York. Jade Williams as Doll Tearsheet in Part 2 showed an engaging weakness for Falstaff, throwing up most convincingly on the front corner of the stage and surprising the audience packed around there, a far cry from her refined Lady Mortimer. Barbara Marten played Lady Northumberland, as well as being a suitably indignant tavern hostess as Mistress Quickly, with her husband sitting upstairs smoking a pipe — a nice touch.

Prince Hal with Falstaff, photo by John Haynes

Oliver Cotton played the King as a serious monarch, betrayed by the rebellious vanities of others, but the principal rebel, Harry Hotspur showed a spluttering anger that failed to allow even a half-second pause in the expression of his fury. Sam Crane’s portrayal of this hothead could have used more nuance, and his re-appearance as Pistol in Part 2 had a clownish quality that seemed unsuited to this production. But Jamie Parker as Prince Hal showed nuance aplenty in his fine portrayal of youthful high spirits edged by an understanding of his future as king. Here is an actor — one of the original cast for The History Boys — who can be suitably immature as Prince Hal, yet bring into Part 2 elements of the future Henry V who will inspire and lead his army at the Battle of Agincourt. I look forward to his future portrayal of that role!

Prince Hal replaces the crown, photo by John Haynes

What makes Part 1 work so well is the brilliance of Falstaff and Prince Hal. Of course Hal is not seen much in Part 2, until he takes the crown from his father’s pillow near the end, so there isn’t quite the same energy in the second part, but Roger Allam was gloriously endearing as Falstaff — one could not imagine a better portrayal. These productions by Dominic Dromgoole give a fine understanding of the plays and are a delight to watch. I loved the convincing grubbiness of the costumes for the ordinary folk, as well as of the military vests for the nobles, and the crests hanging round the seating areas add to the authenticity. With the mummers at the beginning, starting outside the auditorium and taking their mime inside, a wonderful sense of occasion is given to these performances, and at £5 for a standing ticket in the pit there is no excuse for missing them. Six hours of Shakespeare with nary a dull moment.

Parts 1 and 2 of Henry IV continue until October 2^nd and October 3^rd respectively — for more details click here.