ARSENIC AND OLD LACE.

London

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE
by Joseph Kesselring

Strand Theatre
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Wed & Sat 3pm
Runs 2hr 40min One interval

TICKETS: 0870 060 2335
Review Timothy Ramsden: 27 February 2003

Two outstanding performances in a well-cast revival.Anything with Marcia Warren is worth seeing. She's a wonderful actress, here as the more composed of the two frail maiden aunts with a penchanmt for euthanasia fermented in their elderberry wine.

While last year's Pitlochry revival emphasised the contrast between Martha and the more dizzy Abbi in physique and behaviour Matthew Francis's glamorous production goes for difference in detail within an overall similarity. Dress colours may contrast, but styles mirror each other and the physical likeness is unavoidable when the sisters don identical mourning garb.

Thelma Barlow's Abby is all facial mobility and gestural lightness, while Warren achieves remarkably nuanced variation within apparent stillness. Vocally, Barlow is all a-flutter; Warren creates implication by the flick of an inflection. They're both fine performances, but watch and listen to Marcia Warren.

In a strong, if at times shouty cast, both villains have a great time. Paul Rider's fake medic has a supreme moment isolated on the living-room rug - as his wanted description's read out by David Lyon's police Lieutenant. Rider's too sensible to overdo the reactions to details of his appearance, making the most of his sole action, absurdly slipping his huge medicine-bag behind his legs as Lyon reels out his false doc identity.

Michael Richards is a revelation as family black sheep, and escaped psycho, Jonathan. He and Stephen Tompkinson's respectable brother are a male duo to offset Barlow and Warren. Both are huge, long-limbed beings. Whereas Tompkinson's Mortimer (the theatre-critic, so potentially the real public enemy) throws himself about, his face suffusing with red, Richards' plays Boris Karloff lookalike Jonathan with a surprising, highly effective lightness of step and voice - becoming more comic and more threatening.

Francis' production takes time to warm up: the opening act can rattle along in the wrong sense. But it has a firm pace and develops some fine moments of visually inventive comedy. The music sticks out here as too obvious an underlining device. But Stephen Brimson Lewis's realistic room with innocent, fleecy-clouded sky-blue surrounds, and the sharp contrasts of Mark Henderson's lighting provide an apt setting for this macabre comic fantasy.

Abby Brewster: Thelma Barlow
Rev Dr Harper/Lieutenant Rodney: David Lyon
Teddy Brewster: Rupert Vansittart
Officer Brophy: Ewen Cummins
Officer Klein: Paul Cawley
Martha Brewster: Marcia Warren
Elaine Harper: Hattie Morahan
Mortimer Brewster: Stephen Tompkinson
Mr Gibbs/Mr Witherspoon: Brian Poyser
Jonathan Brewster: Michael Richards
Dr Einstein: Paul Rider
Officer O' Hara: John Guerrasio

Director: Matthew Francis
Dessigner: Stephen Brimson Lewis
Lighting: Mark Henderson
Sound: Andrew Pink
Music: Mia Soteriou

2003-02-28 01:36:15