RAPPORT FRINGE ... MARGINAAL VERSLAG ... FRINGE BERICHT
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A Weapons Inspector Calls
Verdict: Stunning Iraq indictment
A Weapons Inspector Calls is a drama with music and comedy. President GW Bush and Prime Minister ACL Blair are confronted with the their actions in Iraq. There are 9 actors. It takes 2 hours including a 15 minute interval.
It combines the strongest possible - and most cogently reasoned - political force, with fabulous west-end song & dance, and a light comic touch. It's ten times as good as the same writer Justin Butcher's west-end smash-hit The Madness of George Dubya, which set a very high standard of political drama. Central London theatre proprietors who prefer the security of musicals, and their critics who argue for more straight and serious drama can both be satisfied by this remarkable show, which most elegantly provides both commodities at full strength.
But no vegetarians - the political content is 100% red meat.
It's a thoroughly divisive play. It's unlikely that those who don't oppose PM Blair or his war against and occupation of Iraq will pay for a ticket. But those who do, will - and they're overwhelminly the majority in London. They'll find inside this spectacular entertainment's sugared shell every fact and argument they require to give them back their voice.
We're in The White House on the day of President George Dubya's possible re-election day. He's accompanied by wife Laura, dad President Bush Senior, servant Mervyn, Vice President Elect Schwartzenegger, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, PM Tony Blear and wife Cherie.
Into the euphoria of likely re-election steps Weapons Inspector Dan Styx. He confronts each player with the facts about Iraq. Will the good guys win? No they won't - this is a realistic drama with comedy, not fantasy.
What does happen is that all illusion of goodness is stripped from each of the players. Funny on the surface, this play is in the deadliest earnest. It's by no means fanciful to speculate this play could begin the turning of the tide against these leaders - whom many regard as evil. Just as To Kill A Mockingbird is credited with lighting the torch for Black rights in America, and Cry The Beloved Country with kindling the overthrow of apartheid in South Africa, A Weapons Inspector Calls may be the start of the process that leads to Prime Minister Blair's conviction and sentencing for war crimes.
A Weapons Inspector Calls benefits from excellent ensemble work from the cast, who also deliver strong individual performances.
Andrew Harrison provides a striking President George Dubya. In The Madness of George Dubya, the president's role was reduced to narrator. Here, he's at the centre, and Andrew Harrison makes himself uncannily like the real-life man. His George Dubya is far from always stupid, a poisonous, dangerous man full of cunning.
Damian Kell has evolved PM Blair in cabaret and NewsRevue - in particular its sell-out 21-day Edinburgh 03 run - over a couple of years. His Blair has changed with the real-life character - from elegant charmer to slimeball. There's a sinuous match between this and the Blair of Justin Butcher's script - which Damian Kell fits like a glove. And a lizard-skin glove it is. For this is a weak, shifty and repellent Blair - slithering from the underside of one stone to the next.
Barbara Hastings presents a powerful Laura Dubya. Her fabulous singing voice elivens the songs, and her gifted dance moves. But its her characterisation of a surprisingly complex First Lady that provides contrast within the stage story. Barbara Hastings brings out this unexpected development of Laura Dubya with skill and an elegant poignancy.
Stephen Guy Daltry doubles here as actor and musician. Fans of The Madness of George Dubya will recall him doing the same in that play - a new audience has the treat of his gifted performance in store. His White House servant Mervyn carries the deft touch of a fine comic performer - it's a delivery that combines humour and a sinister chill. At the hint of a song coming on, Stephen Guy Daltry's nimbly off to the side of the stage on piano.
A highlight of the play is the pleasure of Matthew Dominic as Vice President Elect Schwartzenegger. Another veteran of The Madness of George Dubya (and the real-life British Army - he served as an officer), his every move and action delight. Matthew Dominic's Schwartzenegger is the polar opposite of minimal acting. It's several steps beyond caricature, and combines comedic delight with a shiver of unease. Plenty of good Arnie jokes too (to Cherie: 'Time to put the lipstick round the dipstick').
The moment Mark Heenehan (as Weapons Inspector Dan Styx) enters the play, his presence dominates. Partly this is the writing - he's both the ghost at the feast and the only character with right on his side. Partly it's his size - Mark Heenehan is a big man with a fabulous baritone singing voice, and rich speaking voice that could fill a cathedral. But mainly it's his ability to command a hugely complex part. The sheer intricacy of script Justin Butcher puts into the Inspector's part would daunt most actors. Mark Heenehan is the master of this, and delivers a Weapons Inspector of integrity, bemusement, pathos, and authority.
There's magnificent comedy from glorious Jacqueline Wood's tour de force as Cherie Blear. Part scally, part middle-class Liverpudlian, part ga-ga new ager, part pragmatist, Jacqueline Wood's interpretation combines subtlety, force and rampant sexuality in a sensational piece of 3-dimensional acting.
James Pearse has infectious fun with President Bush Senior. A character who's been out of the public radar for years presents both a terrifying challenge and a conveniently blank canvas for an actor. The hugely experienced and wily James Pearse knows that we'll buy what he decides 'Pops' Bush to be - and he's right. It's a President Bush with a disturbing visual resemblance to Prime Minister Sharon - but that may be cunning subtext. James Pearse delivers 'Pops' as homely (a complex biblical monologue redolent with pathos), cunning, endearing - and evil. Fabulous.
Triumph of the night. If Michael Howard has something of the night, Rupert Mason's stolen the rest. His Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld is a piece of acting and characterisation worth abandoning other plays, parties, even a new series of The Office on tv (OK it's a close call) to see. He's quite simply magnificent. Justin Butcher's script creates within the play this single character of complete evil, and Rupert Mason captures every nuance to create the perfect stage demon.
Hunching his shoulders with a hint of Richard III, Rupert Mason evokes a feeling of unease in the viscera, as if one's accidently swallowed a razor blade. Gliding like a snake across the stage, he's the counterpoint both visually and verbally to the bluff superhero Weapons Inspector. And like the best villains (Satan, eg, as this is essentially a primal story of the battle of good and evil), he's undefeated even in defeat. Wonderful.
The play abounds with cracking songs. They're arranged by Stephen Guy Daltry and superbly choreographed by Warren Hayes. They include (roughly in order): He Just Can't Wait To Be King. Union Dixie. Why Do The Wrong People Travel (When The Right People Stay At Home)? When I'm 64. There Are Bad Times Just Around The Corner. Fighting Men Of The PNAC. It's So Nice. Who's Next? Loud Sing Cuckoo. Why Do The Wrong People Travel (Reprise)?
Designer Cordelia Chisholm produces excellence in costume and a superb set, especially the facade in miniature of the White House. Legendary Lighting Designer (all of C Venues, Edinburgh 03, and Gilded Balloon) Robin Snowdon provides mood, artistry, exhuberant showmanship and visual excellence with each watt. Sound Designer Jack Arnold provides startling dramatic ambience to the action. Jemma Carpenter brings her formidable skills as stage manager of legendary Edinburgh Fringe daily improvised show This Is Soap to the production. Producers Passion Pit Theatre, PW Productions, Kenneth H Wax Ltd, & McLaren Burnell deserve congratulation for their courage in staging this dangerous piece of theatre - without dilution.
A Weapons Inspector Calls is a personal triumph for writer & director Justin Butcher. The Madness of George Dubya showed he could assemble and deliver news-based political drama with ensemble musical numbers to west-end production values. But The Madness of George Dubya's political clout though strong, was not always stitched perfectly into the dialogue. There was too, some pulling of its punch. None of which matters - the main point is that it was done magnificently, and indeed, done at all.
Here, the politics is locked into the subtle writing - it comes in an extremely strong dose, and it is seamless. The facts are, we assume, the truth (if not, every one must be by the time it hits the west end). Equally importantly, because this is a play, they emerge through credible dialogue between the players - so it doesn't feel like preaching. Justin Butcher has created a fabulous entertainment - and with every joke, every blissful song and dance routine, the medicine is going down.
There are few items of entertainment that can be said to be essential. But many would now characterise our public life as enveloped by lie, feint and propaganda. This play is a necessary weapon. It's worth believing in. Michael Moore, as an American, asked recently for 'my country back'. Putting Justin Butcher's play in a major west end theatre may be the first step for the rest of us in obtaining the return of the world.
Cast Credits (alpha order): Stephen Guy Daltry - Mervyn. Matthew Dominic - Vice President Elect Schwartzenegger. Andrew Harrison - President George Dubya. Barbara Hastings - Laura Dubya. Mark Heenehan - Weapons Inspector Dan Styx. Damian Kell - PM Tony Blear. Rupert Mason - Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld. James Pearse - President Bush Senior. Jacqueline Wood - Cherie Blear.
Company Credits: Writer / Director - Justin Butcher. Asst Director - Lauren Fedyna. Musical Director / Pianist / Song Arranger - Stephen Guy Daltry. Designer - Cordelia Chisholm. Choreographer - Warren Hayes. Lighting Designer - Robin Snowdon. Sound Designer - Jack Arnold. Jemma Carpenter - Stage Manager. Presented by - Passion Pit Theatre, PW Productions, Kenneth H Wax Ltd, McLaren Burnell.
Thanks to: Tom Priestley & The Estate of JB Priestley. AKA Ltd - graphic design. Charles Walker, Emily Hayward - PFD. St Luke's Church, Holloway & Dave Tomlinson, Pat Tomlinson. Theatro Technis & George Eugeniou & family. Dashwood Print. All at PW Productions, Kenneth H Wax Ltd, McLaren Burnell Ltd. Helen Snell. Simon de Deney. Jamie Bower. Andy Harrison. Ben Okafor.
END
John Park
reviewed Monday 6 January 04 / Theatro Technis
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
www.fringereport.com
