Travels With My Aunt, a Curtain Up London review

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A CurtainUp London Review

Travels With My Aunt

by Lizzie Loveridge

"It is only recently that they assassinated a prime minister — we dream about it but they act." — Augusta

Jonathan Hyde as Aunt Augusta and Gregory Gudgeon as the Chief of Police (Photo: Catherine Ashmore)

In a gorgeously retro steam railway station set, the Chocolate Factory revives Giles Havergal's 1989 unique adaptation of Graham Greene's 1969 novel Travels With My Aunt. With four actors taking on all the roles and several of them swapping the same role, the performance is a virtuoso example of acting versatility.

" After meeting his eccentric aunt at his mother's funeral, prematurely retired bank manager Henry returns to her London residence before setting off on a worldwide journey which includes Paris, Rome, Belgrade, Istanbul, Buenos Aires and Paraguay. Jonathan Hyde in a tremulous “female” voice initially takes up the part of the 86 year old Aunt Augusta with David Bamber as Henry and Iain Mitchell as Wordsworth, Augusta's butler and bed warmer from Sierra Leone via the Tooting Granada cinema. In a clever piece of direction, Henry is carrying a brown paper wrapped casket of his mother's ashes and the exchange of this parcel tells us who is playing Henry at any one point in time until we have time to adjust to these multiplayed roles.

There is lots to laugh at. The aunt is outrageous and unconventional as she sets off on the Orient Express in search of past lovers, Abdul from Istanbul and the disreputable Italian swindler, Mr Visconti (a Godfather type accent and a large cigar) and is pursued by the ever loyal Wordsworth who is as dedicated to Aunt Augusta as she is to sexual excitement and Foreign travel. On the train in pursuit of Aunt Augusta, Henry, drawn into Aunt Augusta's world, will meet the American hippie girl, Tooley, who simpers and lisps in an American accent (the magnificent Bamber).

As with an all male cast dressed almost identically, dark suit for London, cream linen suit and red knitted waistcoat for the tropics, we are denied Aunt Augusta's lovely costumes. However the designer has created a set with a station destination lit up signboard, racks of old leather suitcases in a lost property area and an old fashioned waiting room.

I had forgotten how delightfully wide the Menier playing area is. When the smoke can is carried over the stage, the set fills with the steam of a 1950s railway station and music and of course the station signage lets us know which part of the world we are in.

The highlight for me was the tango in Paraguay, Aunt Augusta dancing with the chief of police with wild abandon (Jonathan Hyde and Gregory Gudgeon). Aunt Augusta decries the treatment in South America of Mr Visconti comparing it to the hospitality afforded Josef Mengele saying, “Mr Visconti was very kind to Jews”. Directed by Christopher Luscombe, Travels With My Aunt's stay at the Menier is frivolous and fun.

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Travels With My Aunt
by Graham Greene
Adapted by Giles Havergal
Directed by Christopher Luscombe

Starring: Jonathan Hyde, David Bamber, Iain Mitchell and Gregory Gudgeon
Designed by Colin Falconer
Lighting: Oliver Fenwick
Sound: Gregory Clarke
Composer: Malcolm McKee
Choreographer: Jenny Arnold
Running time: Two hours minutes with one interval
Box Office: 020 7378 1713
Booking to 29th June 2013
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge based on 8th May 2013 performance at the Menier Chocolate Factory, 53 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU (Rail/Tube: London Bridge)

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Peter Ackroyd's History of London: The Biography

London Sketchbook

Retold by Tina Packer of Shakespeare & Co.
Click image to buy.
Our Review

©Copyright 2013, Elyse Sommer.
Information from this site may not be reproduced in print or online without specific permission from esommer@curtainup.com .html"> - . . . Travels With My Aunt, a Curtain Up London review

CurtainUp

The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings

www.curtainup.com

A CurtainUp London Review

Travels With My Aunt

by Lizzie Loveridge

It is only recently that they assassinated a prime minister — we dream about it but they act. — Augusta

Jonathan Hyde as Aunt Augusta and Gregory Gudgeon as the Chief of Police (Photo: Catherine Ashmore)

In a gorgeously retro steam railway station set, the Chocolate Factory revives Giles Havergal's 1989 unique adaptation of Graham Greene's 1969 novel Travels With My Aunt. With four actors taking on all the roles and several of them swapping the same role, the performance is a virtuoso example of acting versatility. After meeting his eccentric aunt at his mother's funeral, prematurely retired bank manager Henry returns to her London residence before setting off on a worldwide journey which includes Paris, Rome, Belgrade, Istanbul, Buenos Aires and Paraguay.

Jonathan Hyde in a tremulous “female” voice initially takes up the part of the 86 year old Aunt Augusta with David Bamber as Henry and Iain Mitchell as Wordsworth, Augusta's butler and bed warmer from Sierra Leone via the Tooting Granada cinema. In a clever piece of direction, Henry is carrying a brown paper wrapped casket of his mother's ashes and the exchange of this parcel tells us who is playing Henry at any one point in time until we have time to adjust to these multiplayed roles.

There is lots to laugh at as the aunt is outrageous and unconventional as she sets off on the Orient Express in search of past lovers, Abdul from Istanbul and the disreputable Italian swindler, Mr Visconti (a Godfather type accent and a large cigar) and is pursued by the ever loyal Wordsworth who is as dedicated to Aunt Augusta as she is to sexual excitement and Foreign travel. On the train in pursuit of Aunt Augusta, Henry, drawn into Aunt Augusta's world, will meet the American hippie girl, Tooley, who simpers and lisps in an American accent (the magnificent Bamber).

As with an all male cast dressed almost identically, dark suit for London, cream linen suit and red knitted waistcoat for the tropics, we are denied Aunt Augusta's lovely costumes. However the designer has created a set with a station destination lit up signboard, racks of old leather suitcases in a lost property area and an old fashioned waiting room. I had forgotten how delightfully wide the Menier playing area is. When the smoke can is carried over the stage, the set fills with the steam of a 1950s railway station and music and of course the station signage lets us know which part of the world we are in.

The highlight of the evening for me was the tango in Paraguay, Aunt Augusta dancing with the chief of police with wild abandon (Jonathan Hyde and Gregory Gudgeon). Aunt Augusta decries the treatment in South America of Mr Visconti comparing it to the hospitality afforded Josef Mengele saying, “Mr Visconti was very kind to Jews”. Directed by Christopher Luscombe, Travels With My Aunt's stay at the Menier is frivolous and fun.

Travels With My Aunt
by Graham Greene
Adapted by Giles Havergal
Directed by Christopher Luscombe

REVIEW FEEDBACK
Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"

I agree with the review of Travels With My Aunt
I disagree with the review of Travels With My Aunt
The review made me eager to see Travels With My Aunt

Peter Ackroyd's History of London: The Biography

London Sketchbook

Retold by Tina Packer of Shakespeare & Co.
Click image to buy.
Our Review

©Copyright 2013, Elyse Sommer.
Information from this site may not be reproduced in print or online without specific permission from esommer@curtainup.com Travels With My Aunt, a Curtain Up London review

CurtainUp

The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings

www.curtainup.com

A CurtainUp London Review

Travels With My Aunt

by Lizzie Loveridge

It is only recently that they assassinated a prime minister — we dream about it but they act. — Augusta

Jonathan Hyde as Aunt Augusta and Gregory Gudgeon as the Chief of Police (Photo: Catherine Ashmore)

In a gorgeously retro steam railway station set, the Chocolate Factory revives Giles Havergal's 1989 unique adaptation of Graham Greene's 1969 novel Travels With My Aunt. With four actors taking on all the roles and several of them swapping the same role, the performance is a virtuoso example of acting versatility. After meeting his eccentric aunt at his mother's funeral, prematurely retired bank manager Henry returns to her London residence before setting off on a worldwide journey which includes Paris, Rome, Belgrade, Istanbul, Buenos Aires and Paraguay.

Jonathan Hyde in a tremulous “female” voice initially takes up the part of the 86 year old Aunt Augusta with David Bamber as Henry and Iain Mitchell as Wordsworth, Augusta's butler and bed warmer from Sierra Leone via the Tooting Granada cinema. In a clever piece of direction, Henry is carrying a brown paper wrapped casket of his mother's ashes and the exchange of this parcel tells us who is playing Henry at any one point in time until we have time to adjust to these multiplayed roles.

There is lots to laugh at as the aunt is outrageous and unconventional as she sets off on the Orient Express in search of past lovers, Abdul from Istanbul and the disreputable Italian swindler, Mr Visconti (a Godfather type accent and a large cigar) and is pursued by the ever loyal Wordsworth who is as dedicated to Aunt Augusta as she is to sexual excitement and Foreign travel. On the train in pursuit of Aunt Augusta, Henry, drawn into Aunt Augusta's world, will meet the American hippie girl, Tooley, who simpers and lisps in an American accent (the magnificent Bamber).

As with an all male cast dressed almost identically, dark suit for London, cream linen suit and red knitted waistcoat for the tropics, we are denied Aunt Augusta's lovely costumes. However the designer has created a set with a station destination lit up signboard, racks of old leather suitcases in a lost property area and an old fashioned waiting room. I had forgotten how delightfully wide the Menier playing area is. When the smoke can is carried over the stage, the set fills with the steam of a 1950s railway station and music and of course the station signage lets us know which part of the world we are in.

The highlight of the evening for me was the tango in Paraguay, Aunt Augusta dancing with the chief of police with wild abandon (Jonathan Hyde and Gregory Gudgeon). Aunt Augusta decries the treatment in South America of Mr Visconti comparing it to the hospitality afforded Josef Mengele saying, “Mr Visconti was very kind to Jews”. Directed by Christopher Luscombe, Travels With My Aunt's stay at the Menier is frivolous and fun.

Travels With My Aunt
by Graham Greene
Adapted by Giles Havergal
Directed by Christopher Luscombe

REVIEW FEEDBACK
Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"

I agree with the review of Travels With My Aunt
I disagree with the review of Travels With My Aunt
The review made me eager to see Travels With My Aunt

Peter Ackroyd's History of London: The Biography

London Sketchbook

Retold by Tina Packer of Shakespeare & Co.
Click image to buy.
Our Review