Dr Angelus

Part of Pitlochry's current season.

Glasgow, 1920: Dr. Johnson - earnest, English, newly-graduated - seems to have fallen on his feet when he is invited to join the Glasgow practice of the esteemed if somewhat eccentric Dr. Angelus. With a steady flow of patients and the constant guidance of his philosophizing new mentor, Johnson’s future looks positively rosy. Read more …

But it soon become apparent that all is not as it quite seems in the Angelus consulting rooms. Angelus’s mother-in-law is seriously ill with a mysterious, debilitating condition, despite receiving around-the-clock care from Angelus himself. The relationship between the married Dr. Angelus and his precocious maid Jeannie doesn’t seem entirely proper. And the renowned consultant, Sir Gregory Butt, reveals grave concerns about Angelus’s medical skills – and advises the young Johnson against signing any death certificates for “unexplained” demises...

One of the last great works written by the founding father of the modern Scottish theatre,  Dr. Angelus - part psychological thriller, part pitch black comedy - was made famous by Alistair Sim’s mesmerizing performance in the title role in the original 1947 production. Now the dark doctor returns to mark the anniversary of James Bridie’s death in 1951, the same year that PFT was born. Welcome to the strange and deadly world of Dr. Angelus!

The critical consensus

The works of Scottish surgeon and eventual playwright James Bridie (aka Dr Osborne Henry Mavor) do not enjoy a prolific liaison with modern theatre. Perhaps his philosophical arguments weaved into the sometimes very witty script hold little resonance with the present-day theatre-goers - in this production, attention did begin to wander after two and a half hours (not counting the interval).

Peter Cargill, The Stage, 05/09/2011

Ken Alexander’s fine Pitlochry production – on a wonderful skewed-perspective set by Charles Cusick Smith – makes a strong case for the sheer intrinsic interest of the play; reflected in an outstanding performance from Sandy Batchelor as young Dr. Johnson, and a bravely demonic one from Alan Steele as the play’s murderous and charismatic anti-hero.

(*) Joyce McMillan, 15/09/2011