Anything But Love ARTHUR THOMAS
Anything but Love is a triumph. A perfect blend for a night of musical theatre, this is cappucino with a cognac kick. Phil Bowen’s splendidly lively adaptation captures the wit of Dorothy Parker (so much of whom is known) and the lyrical genius of Dorothy Fields (of whom so little...), the spirit(s!) of the times, and the black dog that lurks behind so many artistic talents.
Rhian Edwards is fabulous as Parker – she seems born to play the louche, languid and troubled writer – gloriously quirky-voiced, barbed, bitchy and bathetic by turns. She melds beautifully with Hannah Summers’ Dorothy Fields - lively, lissom, colt-like yet charming and sophisticated.
From the opening scene where Summers lounges enchantingly over a book, the atmosphere is set for a witty session of verbal jousting, punctuated by Fields’ lovely lyrics, delivered with panache and honeyed humour by Summers, backed up on A Fine Romance by Edwards’ charming little rasp, as we hear song after famous standard that Fields gets so little credit for – the title song – The Way you look Tonight, I’m in the mood for Love, etc. etc. as well as Parker’s only song lyric, the delightful I wished on the moon. The songs are deftly accompanied by pianist Mirek Salmon, an unobtrusive yet vital presence, interacting with the two women in a way that adds much to this fine show.
Things could get a little static in this one-room setting, but Dominic Brewer’s artful direction keeps things rolling along at just the right pace, and gets the best out of fine words and fine playing.
We learn much here about the protagonists and their lives and times, but we also learn much about the art of creation. Like Phil Bowen’s previous work – particularly A Handful of Rain – where Dylan Thomas and Bob Dylan meet to riff and roll in the Chelsea Hotel – the pleasures and pains of the creative life are laid open before us, raw and ranting, delightful and dangerous. Catch this show if you can – it, and all those involved in it deserve more attention, as, unlike so much one sees, this entertainment is Anything but Dull!
Anything But Love was showing at The Brewery Theatre in Bristol from April 21 – May 2, but will hopefully have another run in another theatre some time soon, so look out for it!
34
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44