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Theatre Royal: Star Quality by Noel Coward

By Eric Page
Feb 21, 2012 - 10:01:04 PM
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Set in 1951, Star Quality takes us behind the scenes of a new West End production. Behind the red-curtain glamour, Coward conjures up an observant satire of talent and treachery and a gallery of scheming quivering egos. A temperamental leading lady and her director engage in a battle of egos which will make or break the production – and possibly the rest of the cast.
 


Bursting with Coward charm, what emerges from the mayhem of wit, hissy fits and fisticuffs is his penetrating observations of the life of back stage, this was Cowards last play. This adaptation by Christopher Luscombe has cut a lot of the faff and fat from the over long original and it’s much better for it. 

Everyone talks like a type-right-tor, with plumy accents and pro-jet-tion and it sets the scene of a 1950’s theatre group just right.

Bob Saul as Bryan is naive and trembles on the edge of his first great play and is good grist for the mills of the other egos involved in the production.

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Liza Goddard

Liza Goddard plays Lorraine well, allowing her histrionic outbursts to illuminate the insecurities from this dark monster of an ego.

Daniel Casey is a good foil with his Machiavellian attempts to twist everything to his advantage as the director Ray.

There were excellent comic performances from Gay Soper as Nora with a flawlessly delivered study of Lorrain’s ‘seen it all before’ maid with her dry asides timed perfectly right. 

Anthony Houghton’s very funny and perfectly observed mischievous camp Tony, the PA and boyfriend of Ray was an energetic delight to watch. I imagine that he’ll get the best laughs as this play winds it was around the more Hetro theatres of the country.

The set is suggestive rather than lush but manages to suggest the idea of backstage life and gives plenty of space for the bitterness, rancour, petty jealousies and general post war shabbiness to bloom and the sound texture and effects from Matthew Bugg were excellent at setting up the atmosphere.

This is not one of Cowards most scintillating plays but it’s a Coward play none the less, so has it’s fair share of cutting lines and wonderfully funny rants, the vicious snapping and acid scenes are the funniest in this play along with the usual cynical observations about life.

For a play about ‘star quality’ though, I felt it was lacking in just that. All the actors give good performances but although actors playing actors playing actors is fertile ground for fun there’s no brilliant out stand performance in this cast but an enjoyable evening out non the less with some good comic turns.  

A good night with a cast who seem to be enjoying themselves and it’s entertaining enough.

Runs until Sat Feb 25
Matinees on Thursday 23 & Sat 25

Theatre Royal
New Road
Brighton

For more info or to book tickets go to:
http://www.atgtickets.com/Star-Quality-Tickets/4/1486/     


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