Jack Absolute Rides Again at the National's Olivier Theatre

 

Despite the mixed reviews, I could not resist a new comedy from Richard Bean, the creator of One Man Two Guvnors. And who could resist an update of Sheridan's fabulous The Rivals from 1774? It was probably not the best idea. Here we have Caroline Quentin giving her all as Mrs Malaprop and while that character worked so well in the original period piece, this time those mis-pronunciations seem forced and quite silly. There are some funny lines but the audience seemed to laugh a lot more than me. Occasionally there was a remark that was just too familiar and borderline stupid.

The rest of the cast were fine and put their heart and soul into the performance. James Corrigan was consistently funny as the Aussie Bob "Wingnut" Acres. Peter Forbes was fine as Sir Anthony Absolute (nearly all the names are from Sheridan's' play) but he hardly deviated from a blustering shout. And Natalie Simpson (on the right below) brought sanity and credibility as Lydia Languish. 

Despite the use of the Olivier's superb technology as an interior scene slides from it's hiding place into the main stage, the cavernous auditorium was not suited to a comedy such as this. That is except for the one highlight that was the 1940's dance sequence featuring the whole cast and understudies. 

I cannot understand why what would be a family entertainment was full of swearing and bawdy humour. But the romantic scenes were much better, the meddling maid Lucy (Kerry Howard) with Dudley Scunthorpe (Kelvin Fletcher) below and the youngsters, Roy and Julia ( Jordan Metcalfe and Helena Wilson). 

What would have been better was using Sheridans' script and somehow transposed it to the 1940's. He wrote better gags. 

The journey into London was uneventful, the temperature had dropped from 40C the day before to a pleasant 25C. Lunch was a lovely hoisin duck wrap in Pret a Manger on the Southbank, perched at the big window. There had been a graduation ceremony at the nearby Royal Festival Hall and the whole area was full of gowns and mortor boards. One of which was being rescued from where it had blown onto a grill above where I was sitting and delivered to the student below. I had two minutes to catch the train home when I arrived at Marylebone and Alison picked me up from the station at just after 6pm. Less that an hour and a half from leaving the theatre.