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What The Butler Saw
There's a mind-set to Joe Orton's work that makes me think he died at exactly the right time.
I suspect the novelty of his plays wouldn't have lasted much beyond his three great pieces, Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot and What The Butler Saw, all peopled with grotesques, filled with stylised language and peppered with Orton's biting, satiric but ultimately challenging and uncomfortable wit.
The last of these – What The Butler Saw – is The Bench's latest performance and generally it's fine stuff.
Mark Wakeman (also – at this performance – brilliantly playing protagonist Dr Prentice) certainly stamps his mark on the piece as both director and actor with a fine, mania-ridden performance.
As his wife, the Zoe Wannamaker-esque Sarah Parnell excels in expression and timing and Sian Green and Jack Cronin provide able comic support as the youngsters.
Peter Woodward's Dr Rance is a fine creation, but his often-speedy delivery leads, sometimes, to the ends of words and phrases being swallowed. Dan Finch completes the cast as the bewildered sergeant of police.
As-black-as-the-gates-of-hell hilarious, an Orton is always worth seeing.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
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