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Theatre Review: Present Laughter

Joy Watters reviews Pitlochry Festival Theatre's 'stylish and highly entertaining' production.

John Durnin's production of Noel Coward's pre-war comedy glides back to an era where wit was king and celebrities really had something to celebrate. Focussing on matinee idol Garry Essendine (Mark Elstob) and his intimates, it draws on Coward's own life in its creation.

It is all set in his Belgravia bolthole, a lovely wooden box of a set with art deco decoration which emphasises the almost claustrophobic atmosphere of living with a full-time egocentric.

Elstob excels as the actor who just cannot stop acting. Waspish and feeding off adulation, he can ham it up or declaim in mock tragic tones while complaining about the life he clearly adores. Elstob's Essendine also gets in about the fear of ageing that haunts the actor. It is a constantly demanding role but Elstob never flags.

Those around the idol adore him, from his never quite fully estranged wife to his ultra-competent secretary. Both women cope admirably with his constant demands and sheer irritatingness. Irene Allan's wife, Liz, dressed in a series of chic black and white outfits, is beautifully judged. She is a woman who has really known Garry for a long time, cleverly coping with all the problems he builds up into crises. Secretary Monica is business-like and indulgent only to a certain level and Jill Myers handles the role with ease.

The pair have to fend off the other women pursuing Garry, from lovely little ingénues to determined predators. The other members of the set, manager and friends, have to deal with the fall-out of Essendine's life, which is one drama after another.

There is a lovely comic turn by Joseph Mann as a young playwright seeking the master's approval for his work. Big, bearlike and bizarre, he will not be deterred. He is perfect for the shift to farce mode when Essendine's world turns upside down.

The only slightly jarring note is the pair of what might be termed ‘amusing domestics’. Miss Erikson, the foreign housekeeper, walks strangely with an ever-present cigarette at an unnatural angle in her mouth while Fred, the jack-of-all-trades, is chirpy to an unlikely degree.

These two larger than life performances are not as one with the rest of the well-judged cast in what is a stylish and highly entertaining piece. The style is beautifully underpinned by designer Frances Collier in the set and costumes.

Runs in repertoire at Pitlochry Festival Theatre until October.

Tags: theatre

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