YOU'RE ONLY YOUNG TWICE: Aldridge: Touring till 1st December

YOU'RE ONLY YOUNG TWICE: Ron Aldridge
Eastbourne Theatres: Touring till Sat 1 December
Runs: 2h, one interval

Review: Rod Dungate, 21 November, 2001: Belgrade Coventry

Charming, entertaining and a great advertisement for the everlasting qualities of the human spirit – a feel-good play with a warm and generous heart
With great good humour Ron Aldridge's play implies that life is much the same for retired folk as it is for much younger people – and indeed for those who 'pay the mortgage, pay the bills.' In other words, it has its ups and downs, people meet, like each other – and find it as difficult to get it together as they did when they were 16. The only difference is that they have more time to do it and can do it better (or worse depending on your viewpoint.) They certainly seem to have more energy.

Brian Murphy (Brooksie) is the ageing, motor-cycling, Don Juan, living with his daughter and son-in-law and making their lives hell. He's the life and soul of the party, too. His friends, Tom and Julia are to be married – but Julia's friend Rose does not approve of Brooksie's vulgarity and loutishness.

Murphy drives the play along with boundless energy – anything that happens is an opportunity for a lark or a joke. (Sharp lines pepper Aldridge's script.) He plays his naughty boy act with a skill that makes it impossible to tell, at times, whether he is serious or not – until he lets us in on the joke.

Judy Cornwall (as Rose) is a great counter balance. She combines a gentle poise with great authority – when she says to the men 'Jump' they jump. Or, as she puts it on another occasion, 'Alongside the toddlers' reins in Mothercare they should have men's reins.' But Rose is no ogre: against her better judgement she will laugh at Brooksie's foolishness and Cornwall, her face breaking into a huge smile, takes us with her every inch of the way.

Cast:
Gordon 'Brooksie' Brooks: Brian Murphy
Rose: Judy Cornwell
Tom: Victor Spinetti
Julia: Carmen Silvera
Grace: Margaret Ashcroft
Sue: Linda Regan
Richard: Tony Verner

Director: Ron Aldridge
Design: Julie Godfrey
Lighting: Gavin Davis

2001-11-21 17:41:06