Harlequinade/All on her own

I had actually seen this double bill a while ago, but been too busy to write it up. Which is a pity as it was very good indeed. It was one of the Kenneth Branagh productions at the Garrick, and I have booked up to see another soon.

Th connection between these two short plays is they were both written by Terrence Rattigan. The connection stops there really. All On Her Own is essentially a monologue. Just Zoe Wannamaker as a widow hitting the bottle and talking to her dead husband. Not a barrel of laughs, but a quite compelling performance by one of our greatest stage actresses.

IS By contrast, Harlequinade IS a barrel of laughs. Its about a theatrical couple who are the ultimate lovies, who have no interest in the real world but only for the stage. And putting on their performances whether the public is interested or not. the plot borders on farce. But what made it such a wonderful evening, as well as the fact that it was well-written, was that it was perfectly performed. Zoe Wannamaker features again, but this one is really all Kenneth Branagh as the ageing impresario. These plays in the West End are not cheap, but at least you feel you really are seeing the very best talent out there.