THE FRONT PAGE. In rep to 13 July.
Chichester
THE FRONT PAGE
by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur
Chichester Festival Theatre In rep to 13 July 2002
Mon-Sat 7.30pm. Mat Thur & Sat 2.30pm
Runs 2hr 40min One interval
TICKETS 01243 781312
Review Timothy Ramsden 10 June
Strongly disciplined production, cast from strength throughout, gives life to an anarchic world of press days gone by.'You're doing something wrong, aren't you?' asks Hildy Johnson's prospective mother-in-law, as mayhem whirls fully into action. She has all the certainty of neat-hedged suburbia, without realising she's in the biggest den of rogues going. This isn't only the Criminal Courts Building, Chicago, 1928. It's the Press Room, where the city's journalists gather to eat, sleep and, when there's a nugget of news, to chew it into whatever shape makes for good copy in next day's edition.
It's a remarkable comedy: the foreground stories of love and crime would mean nothing without the real heroes: the male chorus of hard-bitten news-makers.
The authors portray this world brilliantly, and American director Wager animates their play splendidly - bearing comparison with the great 1970s National Theatre production, which matched Dennis Quilley's Hildy against Alan McNaughton's Walter Burns – the editor who'll go any length to keep his ace reporter.
Romantically treated by the playwrights, these penmen are unromantic themselves: only interested in moving an execution forward to catch the morning editions. But that's mere professionalism beside the corrupt Sheriff and Mayor, who'll gladly stifle a reprieve to run on a law-and-order ticket.
John Gunter creates a fine space, littered with desks and 'phones, and a great window looking out on the world. Through it goes whatever Hildy decides to chuck out; back in comes Earl Williams, on the run from death row.
Both Mayor and Editor are willing to offer jobs to get their way. Michael Pennington may not bring McNaughton's freewheeling lightness of touch to Burns but he has a beast-of-prey ferocity, almost devouring Hildy's intended in a kiss, his teeth on edge and voice a-growl whenever he speaks to her.
Adrian Lukis gives the wordsmith himself a demob-happy innocence. But when the scoop lands in his lap, or the typewriter keys lie before him, there's no doubt where his soul, if not his heart, lies.
This is also the little people's triumph against City Hall. Wager casts slight figures as instruments of revenge against the politically great – comically incorporated in Richard Cordery's toweringly incompetent bully of a Sheriff.
A great show.
Endicott: Robert Jezek
Schwartz: Alex Giannini
Murphy: Bradley Lavelle
Wilson/Street Man: Kieron Jecchinis
McCue: Colin Stinton
Kruger: Kraig Thornber
Bensinger: Frank Lazarus
Mrs Myrtle Schlosser: Carol Cleveland
Woodenshoes: Malcolm Rennie
Diamond Louie: Joseph Alessi
Hildy Johnson: Adrian Lukis
Jennie: Eleanor McCready
Mollie Malloy: Charlotte Bicknell
Sheriff Hatman: Richard Cordery
Peggy: Jayne McKenna
Mrs Grant: Ellen Sheean
Mayor: William Roberts
Cop 1: David Beckford
Mr Pincus: James Benson
Earl Williams: Johnny Myers
Walter Burns: Michael Pennington
Tony/Cop 2: Charles Baker
Carl: JohnTearney
Frank: Jack Bennett
Child: Alice Brown/Joseph Crisp/Naomi Davenport
Director: Douglas Wager
Designer: John Gunter
Lighting: Robert Bryan
Sound: Tom Lishman
Dialect: William Conacher
2002-06-11 09:29:44