Back To Work

Whilst the cold that looked like it was settled in for the Spring has somewhat abated, I was back to work as usual this week. I say as usual but even by normal standards this week has been really busy. Thursday last through till Tuesday I saw three very different plays. Thursday evening was Confessions of a Dancewhore, a devised piece by Michael Twaits who looks to be carrying on the tradition of queer theatre championed by Bette Bourne. Dancewhore had moments that fell flat or simply didn’t work but there were moments of greatness that certainly mean I shall have to keep an eye on Mr Twaits.

Completely lacking in greatness in any shape or form was the execrable Peter Pan El Musical. My Stage review is commented as ‘polite’ in some circles but I didn’t want to blame the actors here. Much of what was wrong with this production wasn’t their fault. I only really wanted to go to see the flying, and that was absolutely dreadful. God knows how they’re going to fill the Garrick for a month with that one.

Finally, Tuesday saw me popping up to Hampstead to see Kate O’Mara as that camp delight and Forces favourite, Marlene Ditreich. Brilliant fun and peculiarly reminiscent of NdJ’s Plague Over England. The entertainment world seems to be producing some quality drama currently – on stage and screen – that deals with the lives of the famous as social mores began to change between the 1950’s and 1960’s. BBC4 is currently raking over the scandal behind the lives of Kenneth Williams, Harry H Corbett, Wilfred Bramble, Hughie Green and Frankie Howard. The stage is telling us that Gielgud nearly gave up, Marlene couldn’t give up and as for The Jersey Boys number My Eyes Adored You appears to have been written by a gay producer who lusted after one of the Four Seasons.

The rags are full of it and the public lap it up. What we are seeing on TV and the stage are a simple retrospective of the tabloids and glossy mags of today. Three of those BBC4 docu-dramas and both the plays comment on the desperate need to hide your homosexuality if you want to stay in the public eye. All of them comment on how miserable life can be when you are famous, or even worse, a comedian. The tears of a clown might be an old cliché but it’s a true one.