WHO’S AFRAID OF RACHEL ROBERTS | STAGE REVIEW
Sherman Cymru, Cardiff
Tues 17 Sept
Born in Llanelli in 1927, Rachel Roberts followed her high-arching trajectory all the way to Hollywood. She was, as she claims on stage, ‘a triumph’. Following two failed marriages, countless awards and an Academy Award Nomination, we find Rachel Roberts home alone, reminiscing, surrounded by empty bottles and trinkets from days she can no longer recall.
Though actress Helen Griffin is the only person to appear on stage she surrounds herself with the ghosts of Roberts’ life with such ease that they almost become visible. Equally mesmerising is Griffin’s ability to transform from a youthful, raucous Rachel into an aged and insecure figure in the flash of a moment. Her performance is so sincere that one could easily forget that it is not Roberts herself sat on that withered sofa in her creased nightgown, confessing the highs and lows of her life to whomever will listen.
The singular, unchanging set becomes the centre of the palimpsest of Rachel’s life, flitting between her marriage to Rex Harrison, her childhood and her current, dimming, end. It is her marriage to Rex which lies at the core of this performance, charting Rachel’s change from a young, ‘scrappy little Welsh girl’ to the woman that appears on stage: aged, withered and reliant on alcohol. Throughout she remains witty and wholly endearing, making her final departure so powerfully effectual.
Whilst this performance may be based on intricate details of the life of Rachel Roberts, it is applicable to the life of so many others. We see a deeply insecure woman who was driven into an unfamiliar environment in which she never quite found her feet, an experience almost all audience members can sympathise with. This is not a performance solely for fans of Roberts; it is a darkly humorous and moving glimpse into the life of a troubled woman which audiences will be unable to remain unmoved by.
Sherman Cymru, Cardiff, Tues 17 – Sat 21 Sept,Tickets: £7 – £14. Info: 029 2064 6900 / www.shermancymru.co.uk
Grand Theatre, Swansea, Mon 23 Sept, Tickets: £10-14. Info:01792 475715 / www.swanseagrand.co.uk
Savoy Theatre, Monmouth, Fri 4 Oct, Tickets: £12. Info: 01600 772467 / www.monmouth-savoy.co.uk
words: LAUREN SOURBUTTS