Posted on July 21st, 2010 at 9:21 pm by 
‘Too much of a good thing can be wonderful’ said Mae West. Clever girl. I thought the same when driving home from Chichester Festival Theatre a couple of nights ago.
The story goes something like this. Last year I was taken to the aforementioned theatre and posted a review on this very blogspot. So I couldn’t believe my luck when I received two invitations to the same theatre in the last month. So there I was, sitting on the back seat of my friends’ car, eager with as much anticipation as a schoolgirl newly set free from a remote boarding school on her way to the local pub, watching the beautiful rolling countryside of Sussex pass by as I headed south to Chichester.
If you haven’t been to this theatre, then a treat awaits you. Its part luvvie, part blue rinse with a healthy dose of yummy mummy and WAG thrown in for good measure. Perhaps its the time of year, but it could almost be a set for Midsomer Murders – all crumpled linen and drinkies on the lawn - is that Inspector Barnaby I see hovering next to the hospitality tent? And thats just on the outside. Inside, the theatre is inclusive and inviting but not to the extent of feeling like you are studying for your GCSE English literature exam, with stunning lighting and clearly inspired directors.
So to the productions.
The Company perform Dames
(right) Christopher Howell (Bert Barry) and Louise Plowright (Maggie Jones)
The Company perform We’re In The Money
The photographer is Johan Persson by kind permission of Chichester Festival Theatre
The first was 42nd Street. From the minute the metaphoric curtain went up – in this case, the stage floor parting to reveal a fantastically choreographed display of hands, feet and anything else my male companion’s eyes could fix on, the energy default setting was fixed on high. The cast all looked liked they were having as much fun as the audience – yes, they’re actors of course but believe me, that isn’t always the case – and the standard of dancing would have had Bruce Forsyth lost for words, and that’s no mean feat. For me there were two outstanding roles – Louise Plowright as a Broadway old timer, and Tim Flavin as Julian Marsh the director, and nothing makes you more nostalgic for the old numbers like Lullaby of Broadway and We’re in the Money than hearing them played by a magnificent live orchestra. One complaint though (well, I’m a woman after all) – I hated the wigs which I thought were deeply unflattering, especially when I caught sight of some of the hoofers on their way out later that night and they were all stunning.
It could cheapen the performance to use too many superlatives, but put quite simply, it was a great night out and one that left your feet tapping and a smile on your face long after – and the sort of evening you wouldn’t hesitate to replicate given half the chance.
And I was!
Second invitation was to Pygmalion.
Knowing Rupert Everett was in the cast was my definite idea of a Diet Coke break, and he didn’t disappoint. In fact, aside from the beard (personal preference of course), for me he almost reached full fat Coke standards. He has great stage presence, a wonderful voice well suited to the acoustics of the theatre and that terribly masculine yet petulant little boy charm that fits so well into his role as Henry Higgins. Stephanie Cole shone as his mother and Peter Eyre as Colonel Pickering had the warmth and sincerity of everyone’s favourite uncle. I loved Phil Davis as Alfred Doolitle too, and could just hear Stanley Holloway singing ‘Get me to the church on time’ every time he was on stage. Honeysuckle Weeks was a perfect Eliza with bags of character and ‘guttersnipe’ spirit which translated into elegance and charm and cut glass vowels right on cue, but she did seem very skinny. Perhaps its all that rationing on Foyle’s War….
I loved Lerner and Loewe’s musical, My Fair Lady which is based on Pygmalion and I could sense myself humming silently throughout the play, especially to ‘I could have danced all night’. But Bernard Shaw’s play has real depth and is possibly as timely today as it was when written in 1912, with the challenges women face in society combining families and careers, our changes in culture and how we measure success.
So if you find yourself in the lovely Sussex countryside and feel like some feel good fun, take a trip to Chichester for a bit of al fresco people watching and some very fine productions. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
marigold x
