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Present Laughter, by Noel Coward Oxford Playhouse, 10th-15th Feb 2003 |
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In a single dramatic pause, laced with comedy and irony, Rik Mayall draws in the audience, almost a full house, In dramatic protest against the intellectual pretensions of London's frivolous upper-classes and theatrical circles, he defiantly asserts that people in the provinces can sometimes be more intelligent than in London. This (provincial) audience loves it. Then he takes a second glance again at the people of Oxford (not without their intellectual pretensions), and they join in self-deprecating laughter. This gesture captures the spirit of the whole performance. Rik Mayall plays the central character, Garry Essendine, who shows autobiographical strains of the playwright, but Mayall's impeccable performance gives the character a life of its own. Essendine is a highly successful actor, but he lives his whole life as if he is on stage. He is affectionately endowed with a mocking awareness of the ridicule of his own self-consciousness and self-delusion, which he nevertheless takes extremely seriously. Mayall as Essendine is sympathetic and convincing, full of transparent dramatic gestures and comedy, concealing a great deal of loneliness and frustrations about his social world and duties. His performance produces hilarious and thought provoking effects throughout, making this 1930s play attractive drama, continually relevant to our lives. Essendine is forty, no longer young, but struggling to come to terms with looming middle age. He lives separately from his wife and enjoys the sexual freedoms of his milieu for what they're worth, but knows full well his affairs bring little sustained happiness and cause him much bother along the way. Interest in extra-marital sex may be as mainstream now as it was risqué in the inter-war period, but the play demonstrates the issues are far from resolved. Essendine's relationship with his wife is equally fascinating for our times. He lives apart from his wife Liz, a writer and socialite in her own right. But it is their friendship and mutual tolerance of each other's behaviour, which proves the strongest relationship in the end. The entire stage in taken up with Essendine's house, and reflects Essendine's theatrical life. The set is beautifully designed, and itself a highlight of the production. His bedroom is the centre-piece from which Essendine frequently and dramatically exits. The furniture typifies the decadence of the period - chaises longues, plenty of drink on-hand - and the set is embellished with a liberal sprinkling of Dalíesque paintings and props. Rik Mayall is admirably supported by a high profile cast, which includes John Dougall (many RSC productions, Taggart, The Bill) and Sally Bretton, now known for her role as Donna in The Office. There is little need to promote this popular production with its star cast, only to confirm that Present Laughter on stage fully justifies its promise on paper. It is a pleasure to experience so much creative talent employed to its full potential.
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