DAHLING YOU WERE MARVELLOUS | STAGE REVIEW
The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff, Fri 27 Nov
Hello, Jane. How are you sweetie? Good. Good. I’m calling to tell you about this scathingly adorable piece of theatre I saw called Dahling You Were Marvellous. It’s a biting parody by Steven Berkoff that takes place in 1990 during that dreadful Poll Tax Riot. Hmm, yes the actor. Always played the villain. He’s a pretty decent author, also.
This was staged by On In 5 Productions. Third show. Saw their previous outing, Last Of The Red Hot Lovers. That was top-notch, too. They do plays that may not be that well-known, perhaps not seen much. Très intimate. They also support local charities with a portion of their proceeds. Crohns and Colitis UK this time.
It’s set at that West End restaurant popular among us thespians. Of course I’ve been there! Never mind the name. Everyone who’s anyone has congregated there after an opening night. Liked that there was a cast of 19, even though I wasn’t invited – no, I AM NOT BITTER – instead of just a handful of actors portraying multiple people. No. It wasn’t confusing. Director Sarah Bawler had fun with this, letting them go over the top because they were supposed to, whilst keeping everything from becoming too busy. She had a lot to juggle but kept everyone on track brilliantly. It was especially decadent when the audience heard what the characters were really thinking with their bitchy and sarcastic asides. Hangers on and sycophants, each sucking up to the next higher up on the food chain. Can you imagine?
Alex Nagle was a scream as obnoxious Brick Bergman, an American movie star short on brain cells desperately trying to gain legitimacy doing Will S over here. Poor dear. Looking forward to seeing Nagle in To Kill A Mockingbird here at The Gate in 2016. Phil Jones as the revered director Sir Michael Wally certainly lived up to his name. Awfully perfect and droll, particularly when giving acting tips for Brick to shit bricks. Don‘t ask. You had to be there!
Spot-on Paul Fanning was born to play big-shot producer Morris Welder who rings Marlon Brando at one point. No, I never said I knew him. An acquaintance’s cousin has a friend who knew his local delivery boy. Speaking of MB, Alex Hayes gave a hysterical impression of him from On The Waterfront whilst playing actor Terry terrifically, who – horror of horrors – has been relegated to Hollywood’s B-list. No more valet parking for him! Fawning over him was marvellous Jonathan McGivern as the lascivious tightwad Fat Producer. He reminded me of…oh, the name’s on the tip of my tongue. What? Of course they’re all caricatures! Well, some are based on real people. That’s the inside scoop. Trying to keep away from this producer’s wandering hands was actress Billy, divinely cleverly done by Vicky Walters.
Pam Wiener and Brian Smith were wannabe stars, Linda and Steve, who went on and on about whose balls were smallest, biggest and who had none at all. They made endless plans for a read-through of Macbeth, a part which Steve had been wanting to do since Sarah Bernhardt tread the boards. Funny and sad all at once. Both sterling.
Now, let me check my program. There was Serena Lewis, Alison Shephard and Marie Westcott who were superb as Chekov’s Three Sisters. Just scathingly catty with wicked lines regarding tuna. Also chewing the scenery fabulously were Sally Richards, Sam Creasey and Cariad Jones. Four students all held their own impressively – Jack Bourton, Gruff Harries, Aled Gomer – he channeled Little Britain!- and Curtis Kemlo, in particular, as punk socialist director Sid. Student and stage manager Anastasia O’Sullivan helped keep everything together expertly, whilst Matt Davies skilfully handled lights and sound, making sure you could see who was who guzzling champers. Knocked -out by such an ensemble. So comical and together whether they were all ears straining to hear about a film being made in the UK or blissfully oblivious, really, even to that inconvenient rioting outside at the end.
Who? Yes, Philippa Burt was in this, too! She played three small but splendidly acted roles. Yes, accents terribly perfect again. She’s going to be the Meryl bloody Streep of Wales if she keeps this up. Jealous, moi? Certainly not, don’t be silly. Just because she’s wrestled plum jobs from me once or twice. What? Ten? Ten times?? Thank you very much for keeping score. Anyway, she was very multifaceted. Last role was the best. As caustic critic Tricky Tong, she stopped to chat with patrons who included us, the audience, as she swept in. The cast swarmed around, trying to get in her good graces, desperately grabbing her attention as if she were the last gift bag at an awards show. And what a Queen Bee she was over this hive of luvvies for too short a time.
My only quibble is the pillars in the room blocked the view slightly, and I had to lean sometimes to have a clear look. Can’t wait to see On In 5’s next production, Pinter’s Betrayal. Jane, dear, I must ask.
I’m not like those actors Berkoff wrote about – vain, superficial and insecure – am I? Darling, I didn’t think so. Just checking. Oh, I’ve nattered on all about me again! Next time, I want to hear all about you. Must run, another audition. Kiss kiss.
words RHONDA LEE REALI
photos KEITH J STANBURY
