Nicholas Parsons of ‘Just A Minute’ fame stars in this production of Alan Bennett’s short play, in which a mild-mannered widower is perfectly content enjoying his retirement, until the intrusion of the self-important and dour Miss Prothero, with stunningly mundane news of the company he has left behind. Except, in an abrupt and moving turnaround, it seems that it is actually the company that is leaving him behind. There is unsurprisingly a lot of tedious shop talk, which after a while fails to be comedic and instead just grates. Although there are many funny and moving moments and the acting and comic timing of the two actors is spot-on, this is not one of Alan Bennett’s most interesting plays.
Pleasance Courtyard, 23 – 28 Aug, 1.00pm (1.30pm), £7.00 – £9.00, fpp309.
tw rating 3/5
[km]
Sections: by Kirsty MacSween - ED2011 Theatre Reviews - tw rating 3/5 | Tags: Nicholas Parsons, Suki Webster, The Pleasance
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