Boston Marriage

Eliot bailed me up and asked me to write some comments on this production given I saw it Wednesday night. I have elected to write a dot point review as I am somewhat distracted by mounds of work today. Mamet - talented wordsmith who makes dialogue fun to watch but must cause actors to remove hair in large chunks learning those monologues. Has a large following of groupies slathering after his offerings as if they were the dead sea scrolls. Costumes - appropriate and lovely as was hair and make-up Set - nicely appointed with period furniture, considerable detail. Appeared cavernous but probably just an illusion caused by intelligent design. Music - provided by Herr Director himself who has given in to his infatuation with XTC's Apple Venus CD.....which is no bad thing. Intelligent and most importantly, not over-used Lighting and sound - I'm not qualified to comment so I'll go with Gordon's simple and elegant Direction - I imagine Stroheim-like. McCann in jodpers with riding crop screaming at his actors to learn their lines. Actually, it seemed restrained given the quality actors he had working for him. Focussed on making a dialogue heavy script interesting to watch and hear, ensuring the actors were front of stage and not trapped in what seemed a cavernous set, letting the comedy in the script seep out subtly, TRUSTING his actors, in summary - selling his delight in the Mamet to his audience. Oh, and he cast it bloody well. Acting - assured, high standard, pacey from all three ladies. Accents very good but then two of them are from the North of the Americas so they should be :). Special mention to Amy Russotti as the scottish maid brow-beaten by her employers who can't even be bothered learning her name or heritage. Nice work on the accent, lovely comedic timing, and you made a maid's uniform look most elegant. Lisa Skrypych...Lisa Skyper.....Lisa Skryp was marvellous as always inflicting some verbal blows on the scheming Anna whilst taking more than her share in return. Nice touches of naievty in the character and a real sense of enjoyment in playing the part of Claire. Lisa never looks anything less than assured on stage. First time I've seen Cicely Binford onstage. She plays a lovely bitch, completely self-obsessed, scheming, blithely cruel. Her proposition to Amy's maid brought back memories of Richard Griffith's Uncle Monty in 'Withnail and I' for me somehow, although she was even less subtle. A role that any actor would relish playing and done so with skill and intelligence. Well done ladies - dialogue precise, clear, acted with aplomb. Audience participation - I've noticed a bit of this recently. There was a helpful gentleman in the fourth row on the evening I attended bringing me up to speed on the possible lesbianic nature of the relationship between the two lead roles in case that had flown over my head. He was invited to shut up by another member of the audience when it was decided he had become a little too helpful. I'll state this for the uninitiated - theatre is not an audience participation event UNLESS it is stated in the advertising that it is OR if it's a pantomime. Laughter is encouraged as is applause, where appropriate. That is all. Roleystone theatre - first time in &*%$ing years I've been there. What a lovely theatre! And, get this, not half as big a drive as you imagine. Complimentary tea and coffee and biccies during the interval. Warm and friendly atmosphere. No wonder Paul Treasure lives there. Note to self - go-there-more. Summary - sleeper hit of the year (after The Goat of course). Nice to see a play which has REAL FEMALE ROLES and spotlights the talents of an excellent cast martialled by the malevolent and marvellous McCann. All bought together by an unobstrusive backstage crew, an inviting front of house atmosphere, in a lovely theatre with a huge car park. Oh, and they sell Guinness at the bar I believe (Melville take note). Go tonight or tomorrow night but not Sunday night - they won't be there. You may want to book.