Birmingham Mail: actors “acquit themselves with distinction”

by Site Admin on Friday, May 2, 2008

Newspapers, Reviews, STAC productions

A third review for The Blue Room comes from the Birmingham Mail. John Slim anticipated the play early last month in the Birmingham Post, calling it a “heroic” choice. His review in the Mail shows no sign of disappointment. “Emily Portsmouth - making her first appearance with the company - and Bob Churchill acquit themselves with distinction in each of their various roles.”

The full text of the article follows below.

The Blue Room, Swan Theatre, Worcester
May 2 2008
By John SlimAN ACTOR and an actress play five roles each in David Hare’s amoral merry-go-round.

There are ten scenes and the essential idea is that whoever the two characters are in any of them, they will be in bed before the episode is over and we shall thenceforth be regaled by sounds of appreciative excitement in the dark.

It is largely pretty earnest stuff that doesn’t really get anybody anywhere, which is why the amusing story involving the very theatrical actress and the playwright with a polysyllabic vocabulary is the one that comes as something of a happy release.

Emily Portsmouth - making her first appearance with the company - and Bob Churchill acquit themselves with distinction in each of their various roles. They take in their stride the need to appear in the altogether when the script demands it and he makes light of the surprising eyepatch that he is required to wear in his two appearances as Malcolm the aristocrat.

Wisely, Chris Jaeger’s production is supported by a pleasing jazz trio which enables it to avoid the silences that would otherwise descend between scenes. The action continues until tomorrow.

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