There’s plenty to identify with in Shon Dale-Jones’ one man show, The Duke. An elaborate and gripping tale of one man’s quest to replace a family heirloom, whilst battling with a vampiric pair of film producers, The Duke leaps seamlessly from comedy to tragedy, unravelling a heart-warming story with a touching message at its core.
Greeting the audience at the auditorium door, Dale-Jones already gives us the impression that there is something different about this show. The informal and relaxed opening, with Dale-Jones casually explaining the concept and background of his show, sets the intimate mood nicely. Many times The Duke feels like your sitting in a pub listening to a tale from an old friend. (Warning: Do not be late. Dale-Jones clearly enjoys making an example of latecomers, and quite right too, but this reviewer was very grateful for his habit of arriving early.)
Punctuated with a northern soul soundtrack, Dale-Jones paints his story beautifully, drawing us in through a series of short ‘backgrounds’ to his main feature. Most importantly, we learn how his father ‘invested’ in a porcelain figure of the Duke of Wellington on horseback and how, as a child, he would sit with his father and gaze at it. After his father’s passing, Dale-Jones finds himself on a treasure hunt around Cambridge, along with his lovely mother, as they search for a replacement figurine. At times it feels like a Bond film, others a rom-com. Sometimes it is a mad-cap comedy farce. There are moments of pure genuine emotion, particularly when Dale-Jones talks about his wife or mother, who are, of course, real people. The Duke reflects the screenplay the main character is working so painstakingly on, by being a melting pot of various genres and themes. But it all works!
This isn’t just a story about a porcelain ornament. It’s about the power of human kindness and the value of the decisions we make. It has us questioning, what really matters to us? As he accompanies his elderly mother on her hunt, Dale-Jones finds himself tussling with a film company over a passion project, whilst also mulling over the Syrian refugee crisis. The Duke is the tale of all of these events crashing into each other, and the internal battle Dale-Jones endures as he queries his personal concerns and values. The outcome will leave the audience hopeful for the generosity and compassion of humankind.
The beauty of The Duke is that you want it to be true. There are aspects of the story that, on reflection, are ridiculous, but in the moment, thanks to Dale-Jones’ superb ability to weave a story, you absolutely believe every word. In the opening ‘background’ stories, writer and actor Dale-Jones succinctly captures the feel of The Duke with a quote from Luis Bunuel,
‘Fact and fiction are equally personal and equally felt.’
Dale-Jones makes it clear that this is a story he wants to tell, formed from a passionate belief in human kindness and a need for change in a world he is recognising less and less.
Reviewer - Gavin Hayes
on - 11/11/19
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