Doing all of Noel Coward's short plays must have seemed like a great idea. Everyone loves Coward and in the current economic climate, putting on something like this was a smart move.
In her introductory notes, Jackie Maxwell comments that these plays provide an oppportunity to show case the huge range of talents in the company. Very true. Comedy, tragedy, dancing and singing by the same cast all in three hours.
That said, the plays are slight. Red Peppers portrays a couple of antque vaudevillians. Fumed Oak - a family where Dad has finally had enough and talks back! (The kind of talk back that we have all secretly thought of at some point in our lives, but most of us have not actually spoken!)
Shadow Play is interesting but does not seem to have much point.
Well, these were weak.
ReplyDelete"Red Peppers" maybe a valentine to vaudeville, but I don't feel the love.
"Fumed Oak" is a one joke piece and we have had better revenge fantasies.
"Shadow Play"? I have almost forgotten it already - a salute to the power of drugs, perhaps?