Bearing more than a passing resemblance to Sir Donald Wolfitt, with whom Harwood worked, Sir is a mixture of rumbustuous anger, lachrymose reminiscence and frustrated senility. Norman, The Dresser Haunting Sir's dressing room is Norman, an effete homosexual who has a love-hate relationship with his tyrannical employer.  | | Backstage life is superbly brought to the stage |
As his dresser, he prepares the makeup table, mends costumes, massages Sir's ego and even reminds him of opening lines as the old curmudgeon prepares for his 227th performance of King Lear.
In short, Norman, like Lear's Fool, attempts to shore up the tired and broken actor-manager, in a desperate fight to prevent his personal problems from becoming too overwhelming to the rest of the already stressed and nervous company of actors. Meanwhile tensions grow with Mrs Sir - Her Ladyship - as she reaches the end of her tether, trying to persuade her dogged husband finally to hang up his doublet and hose. A welcome revival Harwood's perceptive, endearing, and frequently hilarious portrait of backstage life is superbly brought to the stage by Sir Peter Hall in this welcome revival.  | | Nicholas Lyndhurst proves there's more to him |
Julian Glover, one of the most accomplished actors of his generation, plays Sir. Just a few years away from his own acclaimed performance as Lear at the Globe, he brings great presence to the role, milking it brilliantly for all its inherent pathos as well as humour. The scene where he addresses the "audience", telling them of forthcoming productions - with names of towns and plays prompted by Norman - is an absolute delight, as is the lively storm scene from the play within the play.
Nicholas Lyndhurst proves admirably that there is much more to him than the somewhat insubstantial supporting roles he seems to land in television sitcom land, and never lets the camp effeteness of the role run away with him. There is fine support by Annabel Leventon as Her Ladyship; Liza Sadovy as the stage manageress Madge; Anna Lauren as the youthful temptress Irene; Col Farrell as Geoffrey Thornton, and Paul Ansdell as the brusque, plain-speaking Mr Oxenby.
This top class production is a highly welcome introduction to the Theatre Royal's Spring Season - risk the air raids and get down there and see it. The Dresser by Ronald Harwood, directed by Sir Peter Hall, is on at the Theatre Royal Bath until Saturday 27 November, 2004.
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