Written by Noel
Coward,
Directed by Stephen
Pike
Canberra REP
production
Q Theatre Queanbeyan
to 23 November
Canberra REP Theatre,
Acton 27 November to 7 December
Reviewed by Len Power
20 November 2019
Noel Coward’s 1960 play, “Waiting In The Wings” is from the
period when his work had fallen out of favour and was considered by the critics
to be “old-fashioned”. Enthusiastically
received by the public at its London opening, the play received poor reviews
from the critics and was ultimately not a financial success. Four decades later, the play had a very
successful season in the USA on Broadway.
Set in “The Wings”, a charitable retirement home for
actresses, the inhabitants are concerned about the imminent arrival of new
resident, Lotta Bainbridge, who has had a famously long-running feud with
another resident, May Davenport.
The story line of the play is not as compelling as it sounds
as the feud between the actresses is easily resolved and the secondary story
lines lack drama as well. The enjoyment
of this play comes from observing the interplay between the colourful
characters, many of whom are ageing actresses.
Director, Stephen Pike, has gathered together a dream cast
of Canberra’s finest, most experienced actresses of a certain age and they all
rise to the occasion beautifully. In the
major roles, Ros Engledow as Lotta Bainbridge and Liz Bradley as May Davenport
make every moment count with their nicely drawn characters and excellent sense
of timing.
 |
| Left to right: Liz de Toth, Ros Engledow, Nikki-Lynne Hunter, Rina Onorato and Adele Lewin |
Joan White is amusing and touching in her role as Sarita
Myrtle, a woman losing touch with reality and Alice Ferguson is hysterically
funny as the attention-seeking nervous wreck, Estelle Craven. Liz St Clair Long has a field day with her strong
performance full of attitude as the feisty Irish actress, Dierdre O’Malley.
Adele Lewin is delightful as the sharp-tongued and cynical
Cora Clarke and Penny Hunt brings great energy and musical fun to her character
of Maude Melrose. Micki Beckett as
Almina Clare and Liz de Toth as Bonita Belgrave also give nicely-judged
performances in their less prominent roles.
The other cast members who play staff members and visitors
to the home, Peter Holland, Nikki-Lynne Hunter, Dick Goldberg, Rina Onorato,
Antonia Kitzel and Iain Murray, all get their moments to shine.
Stephen Pike’s direction flows smoothly at a deliberate pace
with plenty of business devised for the characters to give the play the energy
it needs. Andrew Kay’s vast set design
achieves the right atmosphere and has been nicely dressed. Anna Senior has even excelled herself with her
colourful and stylish costume designs.
In the face of criticism late in his career, Noel Coward
argued that a play’s primary purpose was to entertain and he made no attempt to
modernise his work. Audiences need to
approach “Waiting In The Wings” with that in mind and you won’t want to miss seeing
these terrific performers working at the top of their game.
This review was first
published in the Canberra City News digital edition of 21 November 2019
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast on the Artsound FM 92.7 ‘In the Foyer’ program on Mondays
and Wednesdays at 3.30pm.