ROUGH CROSSING till 20 September

Upstairs at the Gatehouse
ROUGH CROSSING: Tom Stoppard
Tkts 020 8340 3488
www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com
Runs: 1hr 55 mins., one interval: until 20th September
Review: Kim Durham 21st August

Stylish and entertaining nonsense.
This rare Stoppard revival is a light, summertime confection of a piece - frothy nonsense played out against a dazzlingly white and blue shipboard set.

We are in the era of Coward and Wodehouse, when West End theatrical troupes, at least in the theatrical imagination, might swan their way, courtesy of Cunard, from Southampton to Broadway, polishing their light musical comedies during the crossing.

The unlikely group of thespians on this voyage includes a temperamental Hungarian playwright, a leading man and leading lady who share a past, and a composer suffering from a psychologically induced speech impediment. Their rehearsals hit stormy waters, when the composer, now romantically attached to the leading lady, appears to overhear her rekindling her earlier love affair. If the playwright can convince him that he only heard the two actors rehearsing a new, as yet unwritten, scene from their musical comedy, then the situation may yet be rescued.

Rough Crossing is not, it has to be said, vintage Stoppard some of the verbal confusions long outstay their welcome, rather like overlong Two Ronnies sketches, while a running gag about a brandy always downed before it reaches its rightful recipient is wildly over-extended. Typically, it's self-consciously clever, while, perhaps uncharacteristically, not being about anything very much.

Nevertheless, there is much to enjoy in Alexander Holt's smart production. A strong cast pastiche it up with vigour and some precision. Each character is played with both extravagant theatricality and conviction Harry Meacher's playwright, Turai, motoring the action, with perhaps Rainer Wiseman being given the best opportunities as Dvornichek, the faux naïve cabin steward.

The company makes the most of the physical comedy much playing of heaving decks and of the musical side of things, with the right period note being struck by Nicola Goodchild and Sam Kenyon. There's some neat choreography too from Racky Plews.

It's all very silly, and, particularly if your taste is for good clean camp fun, stylishly entertaining.

Dvornichek: Rainer Wiseman
Sandor Turai: Harry Meacher
Adam Adam: Sam Kenyon
Alex Gal: Peter Stenson
Natasha Navratilova: Nicola Goddchild
Ivor Fish: Keith Drinkel

Director: Alexander Holt
Designer: Rachel Woodhead
Lighting design/ Choreography: Racky Plews
Musical Director: Sam Kenyon

2003-08-22 14:01:24