JOHNNY SIMPLE. To 14 December .

London

JOHNNY SIMPLE
by Nevil Frenkiel and Harold Langshaw

Eine Kleine Theatre Company at Pentameters Theatre To 14 December 2003
Tue-Sat 8pm Sun 5pm

TICKETS: 020 7435 3648
Review: Hugh Allison 30 November 2003

Historical frolics and social comment melt successfully together.Set during the Great Fire of London.Johnny Simple is an hilarious account of a landowner's dying wishes. It shows the distinction between classes, the rich believing there's nothing worse than letting the poor have money, but failing to credit them with enough intelligence to realise for themselves how to trick others out of the stuff.

Relevant enough to a modern audience, then. It's stressed that the poor are honest. They deserve the money, and are not claiming anything which isn't their own.

The play's somewhat farcical, with (in a scene which reminded me of Fierce Creatures) Johnny dressing up as the, actually now dead, landowner to give a new will. Playing the Lawyer as considerably corrupt highlights the play's themes.

The action's lit simply - suiting the situation - but realistically in the manner of the action's era. Costumes are realistic too, while the play even starts with the sound of fire crackling.

Kate Darby's direction is highly skilled, and the traverse stage - by increasing the feeling that the audience are part of the action - helps sympathy develop with the poorer characters.

Full cast and credits not available.

2003-12-08 23:46:59