THE HAUNTED HOTEL. To 27 November.

Tour

THE HAUNTED HOTEL
by Wilkie Collins, adapted by Philip Dart and Val May

presented by Ivan Hale in association with The Mercury Theatre, Colchester and the Theatre Royal, Windsor
Tour to 27 November
Runs 2hr 15min One interval
Review Hazel Brown 29 September 2004 at Lighthouse, Poole

Theatrical hocus-pocus attempts to revive a failing theatre's fortunesTheatre impresario, Sir Francis Westwick, has written a play based on a murky incident in his past, the death of his brother, and invites a pair of West End stars to headline the cast in order to restore the fortunes of the theatre he owns. This adaptation of Willkie Collins' novel requires a larger than life character to play Francis and, in Brian Blessed, the production no doubt had such a colossus. Unfortunately he was unwell on the night I saw the play and the understudy stepped in. The fact that the plot revolves round a read-through of a play covered this substitution effectively, but the loss of the star is keenly felt. Colin Baker has since taken over the part and will continue until Blessed recovers.

No doubt this will make a big difference to a production that simply limped along on the night I saw it. Elizabeth Counsell gives a high-style, actressy performance, as demanded by her part as the West End star of the Victorian stage. She is intrigued by the proposed play, especially as she has the meatiest part, and enters into the staged read-through with relish. She is also the one to sense the impending debacle, when she sees a ghostly presence in one of the boxes of Westwick's Majestic theatre.

She is accompanied by fellow star Gerald Ivor for the late night read through in the Majestic. Dominic Kemp plays this miffed matinee idol, who is sceptical about the new play as his part in it is relatively minor. Westwick has laid on special effects in the theatre, including an off-stage orchestra, to ensure his potential stars' attention and roped in his wife and two other actors to play supporting roles. Louise Breckon-Richards plays the young actress who precipitates the crisis in the play-within-the-play with fresh charm; Richard Hodder changes competently from doctor to lawyer to sundry other parts and Lynette McMorrough comically switches a series of hats to play a succession of maids and nannies.

The hocus-pocus includes much smoke, crashing scenery, severed heads, an unhygienic hotel in Venice, blood, ghostly possession and such a convoluted denouement that, by the end, I lost the plot completely.

Sir Francis Westwick: Andrew Ramsay(understudy)/Brian Blessed/Colin Baker
Maria Cavenna: Elizabeth Counsell
Lady Constance Westwick: Lynette McMorrough
Gerald Ivor: Dominic Kemp
Evelyn Collier: Louise Breckon-Richards
Albert Denny: Richard Hodder

Director: Val May
Designer: Alexander McPherson
Lighting: Matt Drury
Sound: Clement Rawling

2004-10-03 23:21:56