I enjoyed reviewing last night’s performance of “Star Quality” at the Richmond Theatre but it wasn’t my favourite play so it was always going to be a difficult task to persuade me otherwise. It must be hard to perform to a half empty theatre, even taking into consideration that it was a Monday evening. Whilst on occasion Noel Coward’s plays still manage to cross the generational boundaries, that was not the case with this particular play. The average age of the audience was about 150 and at times it did feel a little dated even with the superbly risqué lines from the gay personal assistant played by Anthony Houghton.
Firstly, I was puzzled because I thought Amanda Donohoe was starring in the play but instead it was Liza Goddard who played the star part. To be honest, she just wasn’t quite diva-esque enough for the role – where is Joan Collins when you need her? She would have been perfect.
The story basically gives the audience some insight into the backstage world of back stabbing and deceit. One minute they are all sycophantically stroking each other’s egos and the next they are crushing their very soul with harsh words. The young author of the new exciting play struggled to hold on to his beliefs whilst the cast and crew slowly but surely “nibbled” away at his play.
Interval drinks amongst the silver brigade lead me to overhear some amusing comments “I didn’t fall asleep for very long” being one of them.
I feel bad not giving it a good review – it’s still so wonderful to be in such a vibrant lively theatre and it’s so much work to put on a production. The set was good. Costumes too. The play is described as “a wickedly funny comedy” which I don’t quite agree with but the humour although not consistent for me was actually very good here and there . Gay Soper was very funny as the maid with a dry sense of humour, as was Sarah Berger as the incredibly over the top Marion Blake. Keith Myers as Gerald Wentworth gave the most convincing performance.
What is meant to emerge, I assume, from all the agony along the way from the first rehearsal to the opening night was “star quality” and I’m afraid, for me, it wasn’t quite there.
But that was mostly because I wasn’t keen on the play, you understand….not because I didn’t think all the actors were brilliant.
