On A Role Theatre Company specialise seemingly in presenting and touring small-scale historical plays, performed by a single actor. In this case, in a monologue written by Kit Hunter, the play was about Mrs Clementine Churchill, the wife of Britain's most celebrated and famous PM of all time.
The stage was set, ostensibly a room at his home, Chartwell, during the 1940s. The furnishings and style of the room appropriate for his status and the era, but included many things which might have been classed as memorabilia or kitsch, such as a Toby jug of Churchill on the coffee table. In the second act however, when the action moves to 1965, the room, decor, and furnishings remained the same.
Directed by Chris Jaeger, the play took us through the life of Clementine before her meeting Winston and their subsequent years of marriage and talked about Winston's role as MP, PM, father, and husband. However, as much as the substance of the play was (one assumes) historically accurate, there was precious little in there in the form of shock factor. The anecdotes and the bonhomie (a few nicely placed jokes) flowed freely, but something akin to a large glass of port by an open-log fire rather than the exposition being revelatory and exciting.
Liz Grand portrayed Clementine in a way that reminded me more of HM Queen Elizabeth in terms of looks and deportment as well as vocally; and Grand would make a superb Queen in her next solo venture. Vocally at times she was a little too quiet for the size of the auditorium and could have either done to have projected louder herself or have had a little technical help. The monologue was just over 75 minutes' in duration and would have been ideally performed without a break, except the break was needed for the costume change and shift in time.
For those who know little or nothing about Winston Churchill and his personal life, then this play serves as an excellent introduction, and Grand did well with such a long and wordy script, bringing Clementine Churchill so vividly to life. She was a real, believable and sympathetic human being, and we emoted with her, especially at the end when she talks to the portrait of her husband.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 25.2.23
on - 25.2.23
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