GLORIOUS! till 27 September, then to London.

London

GLORIOUS!
by Peter Quilter

Duchess Theatre
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Wed & Sat 2.30pm
Runs: 2h 30m, one interval

TICKETS: 0870 890 1103
Review: Rod Dungate, 7 September 2005 at Birmingham Rep

Funny, moving, joyous . . . in fact, glorious.
I had anticipated that GLORIOUS! would be funny (and I wasn't disappointed), I hadn't expected that Peter Quilter's sharply witty script and the team would give us such a moving evening.

Florence Foster Jenkins was a Society Lady in the US in the 30s and 40s; her claim to fame her love of opera and her desire to sing it, culminating in a performance at the Carnegie Hall. Her only problem (to us not to her, it would seem) is that she couldn't actually sing . . . not a note . . . not at all. But she made up for this lack with style, passion and enthusiasm.

Maureen Lipman's creation of this eccentric woman is simply brilliant . . . it is a 200% portrayal, never wavering for a second vocally nor physically. Her performances of her operatic arias are warmly received and deservedly so. But Lipman's performance is also infectious, she, through her character, draws us into the play, she makes us love her. And that is the key to this play's success.

St Clair, Florence's boyfriend, says of her that she's 'vibrant, colourful, she fulfils others' dreams.' We don't just laugh at a character like this, our relationship is much more complicated. We love them also, their spirit, their guts, their commitment to doing something they believe in. FFJ was, if you like, an operatic Eddie the Eagle.

Once we feel for her, we feel her vulnerability too. In this play FFJ is berated by Mrs Verindah-Gedge for cruelty to music (Lolly Susi creates a character I'd not like to meet in an alley night nor day). Lipman balances her performance perfectly: 'People may say I can't sing, but no one can ever say I didn't sing,' she responds . . . we fear for a moment, the truth has struck home.

Barrie Ingham is a perfect old-style English actor, strong on personality, not quite so strong on acting we suspect (St Clair, that is, not Ingham). William Oxborrow creates a beautifully understated Cosme McMoon, her accompanist; a perfect period study of a discrete gay man. His growing affection for FFJ is most moving so too is his final moment of direct address. Josie Kidd's Dotty, Florence's close friend, is a complete delight and Janie Booth's non-English speaking maid is, well, remarkable.

Dangerous to call a play GLORIOUS!, but this one is.

Florence Foster Jenkins: Maureen Lipman
St Clair: Barrie Ingham
Cosme McMoon: William Oxborrow
Dorothy: Josie Kidd
Maria: Janie Booth
Mrs Verindah-Gedge: Lolly Susi

Director: Alan Strachan
Designer: Simon Higlett
Lighting Designer: Jason Taylor
Projections Designer: Jon Driscoll
Sound Designer: Dan Hoole
Vocal Consultant: Mary King
Choreographer: Mandy Demetriou
Dialect Coach: Mary Howland

2005-09-07 14:53:25