This play was meant to open Monday 5 March, but late last week I got an email from the theatre saying every one of the actors in the play had come down with a flu – so Monday’s show was cancelled.
I got a ticket for Tuesday instead, feeling rather excited to find out if I would show up a the Theatre Royal Haymarket to a ‘CANCELLED’ sign on the door or not. On the contrary, I showed up to find that I’d been upgraded. Which was a pleasant surprise. Especially as it was front row of the royal circle.
The first act shows three couples: hosts Sam and Jo; Lucinda and Edgar; Fred and Carol. First off it reminded me of “National Anthems”, another American play that was last seen at the Old Vic in 2005, in the sense that it starts off with a bunch of passive-aggressive people pretending to have fun and like each other in a party situation. Jo (Catherine McCormack) is dying and her bitterness and pain is more apparent than anything else. You want to feel for her, but it’s hard to when she treats her friends like they were vermin and deliberately hurts as many of them as she can in as little time as possible.
I found it a bit hard to feel for any of the characters in this act. I thought Carol (Jennifer Regan) – the self-proclaimed dumb brunette of the crowd – was the most lively character, with a bit of spirit, that made me wait intentively for the next words that came out of her mouth. Although you could feel Sam’s (Robert Sella) frustration with the situation and not being able to cope with his wife’s illness and coming death, he too had traits that almost made you want to slap him into reality. Three words to describe the first half would be; bickering, sarcasm and pain. Oh, and communication with the audience, which is rather unusual at the theatre unless you’re attending a pantomime.
Act two, enter Maggie Smith. Well, actually, she entered in the last 30 seconds of the first act, and it made me look forward to what would happen after the break. Going by the name Elizabeth, she claims to be Jo’s mother from Dubuque. Although Sam argues that Jo’s mother is an overweight, pink-haired, unpleasant lady from New Jersey that lives on welfare with her sister. Who are you is asked over and over, and enter Oscar (Peter Francis James) – the black man. He doesn’t claim to be family, but a friend. All their friends re-enter. The scorned Lucinda (Vivienne Benesch) and her henpecked husband Edgar (Chris Larkin), as well as the lively Carol that is about to become Mrs Frank (Glenn Fleshler) the 4th.
The second half is most definitely more lively, humorous and seems to have more of a meaning. There are three characters, as far as I’m concerned, fighting for your attention; Elizabeth, Oscar and Carol. The, in my opinion, best crafted personalities based on both the writing/lines and the acting. The absolute highlight, for me, was the communication between Maggie Smith and Peter Francis James. Their dynamic is outstanding and it feels like they were practically born on the stage. You keep wondering if Sam has gone insane and Elizabeth really is Jo’s mother, as she seems to be able to convince everyone – including Jo – that she is. But yet something tells you that she’s not a relative – and Oscar isn’t a long-lost friend.
I have a feel for who they are. When the play has done its run, I’ll give my theory – but for now, it’s up to you to see for yourself and decide: Who is the Lady from Dubuque?
“The Lady From Dubuque” is on at the Theatre Royal Haymarket for 14 weeks.
Star Performance: Maggie Smith – review
8 responses so far ↓
MarieMJS // March 9, 2007 at 9:54 am
Thanks for providing the first review available on the net for the play, I was dying to know if it was worth buying a ticket, and I think it’s gonna be great
I already have my ticket for one of the final show in June, and I can’t wait to see Maggie Smith in this interesting and fascinating role!!
Starperformance: Maggie Smith, The Lady From Dubuque « Terri’s West End Blog // March 12, 2007 at 2:51 pm
[...] Read the play review here. [...]
a west end whinger // March 14, 2007 at 11:20 am
Wow. Maybe they were recovering from flu the night you saw it? We thought the first act was a masterpiece and were getting slightly concerned that DMS might spoil it all when she appeared (she didn’t of course)
Mikey // March 14, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Great to see that the positive buzz is getting started. The early previews usually bring out all the sourpusses to spread gloom but I’m just thanking the theatre gods that this Albee play has been rediscovered to be put in the display case next to Virginia and Balance.
Dan // March 14, 2007 at 11:14 pm
@a west end whinger
Interesting. I guess there are some variable experiences going on. I tend to agree with the review here – for me there was some forgettable acting going on in the first part of the play, including some rather dodgy American accents.
Zeff // March 22, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I thought Maggie was definitely the best thing about the play. Her acting and sense of timing was amazing. However I found the play flawed. If anything, it reminded me of a An Inspector Calls rip off. It used the same device – a stranger turns up out of the blue, manages to convince (practically) everyone that they are someone else and in the process acts as a catalyst to bring about their collective social demise – plus I didn’t believe that odd group could all be friends, despite the first half’s attempts at setting this up. It all seems a bit contrived. And when the friends turn against Sam, I didn’t totally believe that either – it all seemed too easy. That said, there were some great scenes and I wasn’t bored!
gaydon // March 22, 2007 at 3:46 pm
I’m rather suprised at the comment on dodgy American accents – Is the whinger aware that five of the cast are American – only three, including the Dame herself are English? She is simply sublime, and I personally think the rest of the cast is pretty special too. Maybe the play is not major Albee, but even more minor Albee has great moments of insight and makes one wonder, and hell yes, makes one laugh, more than almost any other playwright around.
It’s tough and funny, sometimes turning on a dime within the same sentance.
Debra // November 4, 2009 at 5:49 am
I had the opportunity to see this play with Maggie Smith in the starring role in 2007….my first experience at attending a play of this calibre. I am surprised that nobody saw what I saw…that each and every character was actually a personification of Sam’s emotions with dealing with his wife’s impending and then actual death. That nobody seemed to see that The Lady From Dubuque was actually Perfect Love (a mother’s love) and that Oscar was strength (the two things Sam would have needed in order to let Jo go). Am I out to lunch on my impressions?