Red Peppers by Noel Coward and Aged in Wood by Cian Griffin
2 Bath Road
London
W4 1LW
🍷🍷🍷🍷 – 4 out of 5 glasses of fine claret! (Or Opening Night Champagne!)
The latest offering at the brilliant Tabard Theatre is Director Jason Moore’s double bill, which pairs Noel Coward’s 30-minute theatrical two-act play, Red Peppers (actually, more a sketch than a play), with Aged in Wood, a new, comedic work by Cian Griffin. Set in the same provincial theatre dressing room, 90 years apart, both pieces offer a glimpse into a difficult day for has-been actors, onstage and off, with bitching, bickering, and banter. To be be brutally honest, not a lot happens in either play – they are a bit light on plot – but it’s another example of the Tabard Theatre programming ‘against trend’ and it proves a strangely amusing and entertaining night out. You’ll ‘lovey’ it!
And the performances are great too. Red Peppers manages to capture the grimy, fading world of second-rate music hall. It was written by Noel Coward to specifically showcase the singing and dancing skills of himself and wife Gertrude Lawrence. The music-hall double act of George Pepper (played by Jon Osbaldeston) and his wife, Lily (Jessica Martin) have been delivering the same song and comedy routine for 15 years, much of it inherited from George’s father! Things are not too good with the couple, but they come together when faced with outside challenges!
Red Peppers is fun. It’s a look back into a forgotten world of entertainment. And I think the obviously ‘theatrical’ press night audience also appreciated it, especially the singing and dancing with its with rictus grins and grimy sailor suits. And the brilliantly groan-inducing jokes. “Why is midnight like the roof of a house? It’s ‘slate”! And both shows look good too! The tabs (the red curtains) look like they have always been there.
The second play, Aged in Wood takes place in the present day in the same dressing room as the first play. And not much has changed.
Deena Ames (Martin) a former musical theatre actress of a certain age now working in the provinces, has several personal and professional problems. Her son (Rhys Cannon) now looks better in her clothes than she does, her husband, Henry (Osbaldeston) has walked out, her leading man, Rufus (a hilarious Gill) can’t remember his lines and her daughter wants to move out to live with Dad. So we can appreciate the strain her life is under
Deena and her agent Avis (Vansittart) offer a shorthand view of a long relationship based on half-truths, flattery, and tolerance even if it is a bit ‘Ab Fab’ on occasions, while Henry offers an insight into the battle between career ambition and those left at home.
It’s an unusual, occasionally flat, but great night out! And there are some great lines too. A must for theatre fans.
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