KING OF HEARTS. To 7 April.
London/Liverpool
KING OF HEARTS
by Alistair Beaton.
Hampstead Theatre To 31 March.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 3pm.
Audio-described 24 March 3pm.
Captioned 20 March.
Post-show discussion 20 March.
then Liverpool Playhouse 3-7 April 2007.
Tue-Sat 7.30pm Mat Thu 1.30pm Sat 2pm.
Runs 2hr 20min One interval.
TICKETS: 020 7722 9301.
www.hampsteadtheatre.com (Hampstead).
0151 709 4776.
www.everymanplayhouse.com (Liverpool).
Review: Timothy Ramsden 14 March.
Fails to live up to its themes.
There’s such a good idea at the base of Alistair Beaton’s new comedy, and such a range of fine performances gracing Tim Shortall’s elegant design, set in a room at Sandringham Castle, that it’s a shame the script itself is so lame. Though the names have been changed, to give a wider perspective, the situation is recognisable. The king’s dying, the timing of the life-support switch-off a matter of political convenience.
There are two heirs. Rosy-cheeked Richard’s the first and fitter; pasty-faced playboy Arthur the second, an unlikely and unwilling potential monarch. The trouble is, Richard’s determined to marry Muslim Nasreen. She’s everything a political mouthpiece – sorry, heroine – ought to be: intelligent and sensible, wafting away prejudices, never losing her temper. As ideal a queen as might be seen among the common throng.
Tiresomely perfect, indeed, though never actually arguing away the play’s women’s and gay rights mouthpieces. As her husband-to-be and she enter or leave to be at his father’s dying side in line with the conversation’s demands, argument rages around them. Or would do if just about everyone else weren’t comic nonentities.
That wouldn’t matter too much if they were actually funny. But most of the laughs they raise come from skilled acting putting over feeble lines with aplomb. In particular, Justin Salinger’s Prime Minister offers a gallery of comic expressions as he manipulates others or finds events swinging from his control, while Caroline Loncq gives his political adviser a reality the script merely sketches.
The play assumes mere mention of something recognisable from current political life is funny. There’s minimal analysis, reflection or revelation. And, under the surface smartness, lies a poorly-constructed piece, with clunky plot and dialogue which reduces fine actors to exploiting technique to disguise moments when what they’re saying is unconvincing; a kind of spoken footnote.
It’s a shame because Beaton is handling matters which, in themselves, are fascinating: the rivalry between royal and political establishments, democracy become a policy-vacuum power-game, ‘modernising’ coming up against its own limitations. Fine themes, but oh, for a Bernard Shaw to handle them with wit and provocation, instead of this footling self-satisfaction.
Nasreen: Zahra Ahmadi.
Arthur: Christian Brassington.
Sir Terence Pitch: Alister Cameron.
Toby: Toby Dantzic.
Annie: Caroline Loncq.
Marcus: Roddy Maude-Roxby.
Holbrook: Anthony O’Donnell.
Stephen: Jeff Rawle.
Richard: Ben Righton.
Nick: Justin Salinger.
Directors: Ramin Gray, Max Stafford-Clark.
Designer: Tim Shortall.
Lighting: Johanna Town.
Sound: Ian Dickinson.
Assistant director: Naomi Jones.
2007-03-15 09:54:40