A fascinating revival of an A.A. Milne play that will transport you back to the twenties – and not a honey bear nor a miserable donkey in sight!Rating
Good!
A.A. Milne, you say? Ah, yes, Pooh and Piglet and Christopher Robin. But no, wait! It appears that Milne was also a hugely successful playwright in his time (he wrote eighteen plays in all!). So now, over a hundred years after its premiere, The Truth About Blayds returns to the stage, and once again it is down to the indefatigable producer Andrew Maunder and the Finborough Theatre, who join forces to bring us this 1921 drawing-room comedy of manners.
The eponymous Henry Blayds (William Gaunt), cared for by his daughter, Isobel (Catherine Cusack), is a national treasure of a poet about to celebrate his ninety years, at his eldest daughter’s house. Marion (Karen Archer) is married to William Conway (Oliver Beamish, comically nailing his character’s pomposity), living with their children, Oliver (George Rowlands) and daughter Septima (Lucy Jamieson), although they make full use of the name’s prestige and so call themselves the Blayd-Conways. There is indeed plenty of humour here – the gentle kind, not the rollicking sort. But there is more substance as to what we would call nowadays ‘the cult of celebrity’, with all its dependents making a living out of the man and, more poignantly, people sacrificing their lives to him.
The play opens as well-known critic A.L. Royce (Rupert Wickham) arrives to raise a glass to the great man (I’m sorry I kept thinking of A.L. Rowse, but the dates don’t match!). It turns out he is still in love with Isobel, but touchingly, she could not then and still cannot marry him. Never has there been such a long build-up to the entrance of the great man: almost 45 minutes before he arrives on stage – and William Gaunt does not disappoint. Like a cross between King Lear and the later Brahms, Gaunt growls and hovers over his words, but there is a poignancy, too, of being aware that his end of life is near, and Gaunt cleverly hints that there is something else that burdens him.
The second half finds us still in the same drawing room – designer Alex Marker on top form with a recreation of a period drawing room that sees an imposing portrait of the great man casting his shadow over the whole proceedings, as it were. But now, Blayds has died, and the proverbial hits the fan. I will not reveal this plot twist, but safe to say the ins and outs of the family’s reactions to the news are deftly played with and marshalled by Milne. Are they liberated or hobbled by the news? A resolution is found, but at what cost? Truth sacrificed for the least harm done?
All the actors are excellent at dealing with the inevitably wordy text, and the period grasp is impressive, helped immensely by classy costumes (Carla Joy Evans), especially for the ladies. However, there are times when audibility really suffers and the direction is statuesque to say the least. The stakes are very high for all concerned after the revelation, and these should be played even more fully: it would increase the desperation and incomprehension and create extra drive and tension.
All things considered, however, this is an entertaining evening, acquainting us with an unknown piece which is of its time – a curiosity, but none the worse for that, especially when it is performed with such aplomb by this fine cast. It is definitely worth seeing, if only to open one’s mind to an A.A. Milne beyond Pooh and Piglet. Who knew, eh? But thanks to the Finborough – once again – we do now!
Writer AA Milne
Director: Michael Gilmore
Designer: Alex Marker
Costumes: Carla Joy Evans
Lighting: Jonathan Simpson
Producer: Andrew Maunder
The Truth About Blayds plays at the Finborough Theatre until Saturday 4 October
