 June 3, 2004 |
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| I Ought to Be
in Pictures Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough May 13 - July 3; Author: Neil Simon Director: Laurie Sansom Producer: Stephen Joseph Theatre Cast: Bill Champion, Julie Howlett, Laura Doddington Time: 2hrs 30 mins Neil Simon's plays are built for both comfort and, it seems, the Stephen Joseph Theatre. Simon's work, echoing that of Ayckbourn's, slots into life at the seaside perfectly and when word gets around it will lead to healthy box office receipts. Maybe because it is a lesser-performed play that this production of I Ought to Be in Pictures, directed by Laurie Sansom, feels very fresh indeed. It is certainly at home in the round. |
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| Also at home in the auditorium is Bill Champion, a familiar face at the SJT who, this time around, has washed-up writer Herb down pat. Daughter Libby, who arrives in Hollywood form New York to get payback from the father who deserted her 16 years ago, is played with tremendous energy by livewire Laura Doddington. | Encouraged to communicate by
Herb's girlfriend and rather sidelined character Steffy (Julie Hewlett)
the pair argue, deconstruct and subsequently rebuild their relationship. Watching these lives unfold amid Pip Leckenby's scruffy bungalow set, with authentic American accents spouting from the actors' mouths, it is hard to work out why I |
Ought to Be in Pictures did not keep the box office
busy back in 1979. With Simon's trademark wit shining through this
toughtful production, this is a piece that scrapes right beneath the
superficial glam of Hollywood to reveal, movingly, the struggle that
people have to go through to simply get on with each other.
Dave Windass Close window |
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