NAKED JUSTICE, John Mortimer, Bham Rep till 2 March, touring till 30 March
Birmingham
NAKED JUSTICE: John Mortimer
Birmingham Rep: Tkts, 0121 236 4455
Runs: 2h 30m, one interval, Rep till 2 March, touring till 30 March
Review: Rod Dungate, 11 February 2002
A pleasant evening in the theatre, Leslie Phillips is a joy, but the production is over-blown
The present production of John Mortimer's newish play shows up in sharp relief both the play's strengths and weaknesses.
This is a gentle play. Full of bright wit it's as comfortable as an evening at home with a glass or two of wine watching an Agatha Christie or and episode of Murder She Wrote. That is covers ground we've been over before gives it a cosy feeling of recognition. There are great virtues in these qualities and Mortimer's play offers a pleasant evening out – and we can all do with those.
Add to this the considerable expertise of a great gentleman of the British theatre like Leslie Phillips and there is a special quality to the evening. Mr Phillips is a consummate player in gentlemanly roles: to watch him open a door, or dance across the stage exuding old fashioned breeding, to watch him pour a whisky while demolishing another character with a sharp one-liner is a joy. And even better, is to watch him, so, so elegantly, reduce the audience to laughter with just a withering look. I can't help thinking that we are watching the evening of this style of performance. Does it matter? Acting fashions change, we are into a more direct, dynamic, rough-edged style: but we ignore the past at our very great peril.
NAKED JUSTICE follows the lives of three judges while on circuit duty in the North of England. There is a trial of a young black man accused of murder, there is the attempted blackmail of a judge, the emotional attachments of another. Mortimer certainly shows that the law is an ass, and we suspect he knows what he's talking about.
However, in Robert Chetwyn's over-large production this engaging entertainment appears thin, old-fashioned, the product of an old man's imagination. Which does a disservice to the play itself. I notice in the script it says 'The stage should be as empty as possible, a table and chairs being moved for the different locations.' Hugh Durrant has designed a set which is anything but nearly as empty as possible. He has attempted to make the various locations (living room, bar, court, street) as realistic as possible by using cumbersome sets on two revolves. The set changing becomes tedious, the action slows down. Though, to be fair, one young audience member confided: 'I love revolving sets – they never quite meet up and then you watch them slowly being manoeuvred into position: you can imagine the ASMs all pushing away behind it.' Hmm, everyone to his own.
In addition to Leslie Phillips, the production is well served by Simon Ward, the up-tight judge Keith. He carries his own mahogany lavatory seat with him – now which judge did Mortimer base that on, one asks. Joanna van Gyseghem makes a charming Elspeth, the Family Court judge, her easy manner and sparky attitude to life would make her a valuable asset to any court-room. And Paul Kemp's Hubert must not be missed. Kemp's understated performance of high camp must be seen to be truly admired.
Cast:
Fred: Leslie Phillips
Keith: Simon Ward
Roddy Boyes: Patrick Ryecart
Elspeth: Joanna van Gyseghem
Cassandra Cresswell: Carolyn Backhouse
Marston Dawlish QC: Rowland Davies
Hubert: Paul Kemp
Byron Johnson: Jimmy Akingbola
Mr Swiver: Kenneth Jay
Detective Inspector Dacre: Paul Stewart
Mr Breadwell: Andrew Bolton
Supernumeraries: John Clay, Angela Ellis, Pip Minnithorpe
Director: Robert Chetwyn
Design: Hugh Durrant
Lighting: Nick Richings
Composer: Marc Wilkinson
Sound: Rick Clarke
2002-02-12 15:15:34