Written and performed
by Pip Utton
The Street Theatre to
12 February 2017
Review by Len Power
10 February 2017
After seeing Pip Utton’s excellent ‘Churchill’ performance,
I was looking forward very much to seeing what he would do with Margaret
Thatcher. I wasn’t disappointed.
Playing an actor, Simon, performing a one person play as
Margaret Thatcher, Pip Utton draws us carefully into this monodrama where
Thatcher first appears in the actor’s mind as he makes up, dresses and prepares
for a performance. We then observe Simon
give a full-blooded performance as Thatcher onstage.
The construction of this play is clever and unexpected. It quickly becomes apparent that Simon/Utton
wants us to take his performance seriously, just as Margaret Thatcher demanded
from the Press, colleagues and the people.
Bringing up the house lights, Thatcher invited questions
from the audience. The mood was relaxed
and we were expecting a good laugh. In
one of the first questions, an audience member made the mistake of addressing
her as ‘Margaret’ and was quickly and firmly put in his place. It was funny but from that moment on you
realized her responses would be deadly serious and, if you were going to ask a
question, it had better be well-considered.
We changed instantly from audience to members of the Press and it was edgy
and unnerving.
The question and answer period makes up the bulk of the play
and Pip Utton never falters in his responses in spite of the very specific and
often well-framed questions asked by the audience. Even a question about Donald Trump received a
considered and serious response. There
were still plenty of funny moments where Thatcher engaged with the people
asking questions.
It was electrifying to see the command of the stage that Pip
Utton had throughout the performance. Knowing
it’s a male actor playing a male actor playing Margaret Thatcher, we don’t really
expect him to look exactly like Thatcher but in profile he actually did look
like her. Even without knowing the
questions the audience would ask, he gave quite detailed responses, showing his
superb knowledge of Thatcher and her time in office.
The end of the play contains another surprise which I won’t
reveal but it added yet another valid and satisfying dimension to this
remarkable show.
Pip Utton created something magical on that stage with ‘Maggie’
and it’s something you shouldn’t miss!
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7’s ‘Artcetera’ program from 9am on
Saturdays as well as other selected Artsound programs.