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Nicholas de Jongh's rating
, Orlando's West End Celebration
By
Nicholas de Jongh
17 Jul 2007
Producer Sonia Friedman - our last, serious hope of keeping straight plays alive in a West End deluged by musicals - dares greatly by reviving this Sixties slice of northern, working class drama.
The test will be to see whether new-generation theatre audiences will be tempted both by Orlando Bloom, whose first shot at stage-acting is a bit of a miss, and the chance of learning some invaluable social history, theatrically conveyed.
In Celebration, by neglected Royal Court favourite David Storey, harks back to the social-realist school of novelists, dramatists and film directors who brought grimy, industrial England into national view. Storey deals principally with a family's tense, generational clash, at a time when university education began to alienate working class kids from their parents and their roots.
Tim Healy's grizzled, far too shouty Yorkshire coal miner Shaw and Dearbhla Molloy's sombre Mrs Shaw, welcome three sons for their ruby wedding celebrations. Everyone nurses secrets and resentments as if they were unhealable old wounds.
Storey tracks back to the theatrical territory of Ibsen and Arthur Miller, where the past is a misty, fearful country and skeletons lurk in closets. Yet how fresh the stage-scene looks! Designer Lez Brotherston presents a miner's faded sitting-room, right down to fire-side coal bucket on which Bloom's troubled, taciturn Steven is sometimes obliged to squat: Anna Mackmin's production needs more chairs and far greater charges of passion and engagement, particularly in the first torpid half. Furniture and clothes worn by the Shaws mainly come in endless, uninviting shades of brown, grey and beige. So too does some of the acting.
Bloom's sexual charisma and androgynous prettiness before the camera vanishes clean away on the stage's more distant perspective. He stands around looking caddish in his pencil-thin moustache, blankly disengaged and forever bathed in boredom. His cries of grief while asleep at night typify his performance, being unduly subdued.
All three sons, though, challenge belief. Paul Hilton, whose duffel-coated Andrew never conveys enough serious anger and scorn, resembles a superannuated student. Having abandoned his career as a solicitor to become a painter, it remains a mystery how he and his family could financially survive. Similarly, Bloom's Steven has given up writing his state-of-the-nation book yet needs to feed four kids. Gareth Farr's suave Colin invites further disbelief, vaulting from life as university communist to smart-suited industrial relations organiser.
Storey proves himself a master of allusiveness: his characters avoid dramatic clashes, conflicts and revelations. In the more dynamic second half, allusions to a fourth son who died when seven and Andrew's childhood exile, muted hints of murder, hints of child violence and Mrs Shaw's festering marital despair, convey Storey's acute awareness of the roots of family violence, dysfunction and despair. Healy's Shaw looks suitably shattered.
If only Storey engaged more dramatically with these family ghosts instead of allowing them to flit spectrally around, In Celebration would take a stronger theatrical hold.
Fortunately Dearbhla Molloy's astonishing Mrs Shaw does capture the play's complex essence. She exudes a strange, sad reserve, a sense of shuttered emotion. In the devastating last moments, her sons gone home, she bends to the waist and fights to muffle the dreadful noises of anguish wrenching their way out of her - a married life-time's grief expressed in this great acting display.
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Reader views (9)
I saw this play last night and while I will admit I did go to see Orlando Bloom the whole play pulled me in. The mishmash of troubled characters worked perfectly together and Gareth Farr was amazing. Paul Hilton it had to be said was in a league of his own on that stage. I was laughing and crying every two minutes and would gladly go again.
- Emily, London, 16/09/2007 19:49
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I went to see this on request of my wife. Believe it or not she isn't madly in love with Mr Bloom, she simply thought it would be interesting to see a Hollywood star on stage. Sadly it wasn't very interesting to see him on stage, but the rest of the cast did make up for it. With a day to reflect I agree with most that Healey did shout a bit, or more to the point he projected his voice a great deal, perhaps he was attempting to show Orlando how it is done? It seemed he was the one having to actually shout in order to be audible. I could not knock the rest of the cast, all of whom did a great job in my eyes.
All in all I enjoyed it, the staging and lighting were superb with an interesting plot. If the character Bloom portrayed is meant to seem completely awkward at all times then maybe I'm doing him and injustice. However I don't think thats the case. If he was looking for credibility and vindication he's not managed it this time. I'm sure he'll return with a better performance in future though.
- Andy, Southampton, 02/09/2007 10:04
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I thought this West End production was superb. I've been to see almost everything in the West End out of the current shows, and I have to say that for a "serious" play, it one of the best ones. The cast is fantastic, each one of them excels in every way but many people have been downing Orlando Bloom's performance. I disagree with this because Mr Bloom's character in the play is incredibly hard to portray as he is very shy and emotionally mixed up (if you haven't seen the play it's difficult to describe!) but I don't think he could have done it any better!
- Aaron W, London, England, 15/08/2007 10:18
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I saw this play last night and did come out feeling it was the most depressing thing I had seen in quite while. I thought Paul Hilton and Tim healey were excellent in it but Orlando Bloom mainly stood around looking awkward saying 'aye' as if to prove to the audience he could speak northern. I think that was more to do with the character than his acting ability but it was a bit disappointing. Next time I hope he picks something a bit more uplifting in order to showcase his acting talents better.
- Alex, London, 15/08/2007 08:28
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OK, I admit it; I'm over 30 and went to this show purely to see Orlando Bloom. Wish I hadn't bothered quite frankly as he'd left his acting skills at home the day I saw it (the only half decent bit of acting was when he was crying, and his feeble attempt made me want to laugh). Fortunately the actors who played Andrew and Bloom's mother more than made up for it. Tim Healey shouted all of his lines, which was really annoying. Lynda Baron brought much needed light relief to the play, which hasn't dated well.
Fortunately there were no squealling from the audience, although the average age of the front 4 rows was 12!
- Sarah, London, UK, 15/08/2007 07:28
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I recently took my 17 year old daughter to see this and found it to be a very good play for a number of reasons. The acting was excellent, and I feel Orlando did well for his first theatre performance. The set was also excellent and helped to create the right atmosphere.
Younger audiences may have a problem following the storyline as it was a little difficult to grasp at times. My daughter didn't understand it at all and I had lots of explaining to do afterwards - so it was educational, which can only be a good thing. However, this mattered not one jot to her as she was quite content to stare at Mr Bloom all evening (not sure if that was the point though!).
- Bev Edlin, Andover, Hants, 15/08/2007 07:28
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I went to see the play last weekend. I didn't really know what to expect, especially from Orlando Bloom. I was afraid he wouldn't be convincing on stage. I must admit he didn't do bad at all. His character is mysterious, and you never know what secrets he is hiding and I think Orlando Bloom was quite good at reflecting this. I am glad he was courageous enough to pick a role far from his characters on the screen. Paul Hilton was really good, probably the most comfortable on stage. The invading neighbours actually add a bit of laughter in this serious play. But their family secrets are unclear. Overall, it is a good play, and the actors are quite good. And maybe for the best, teenage girls who are madly in love with Orlando Bloom won't like it - sorry girls!
- Emilie, London, UK, 15/08/2007 07:28
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I have now seen In Celebration three times. It is a brilliant play - ALL the cast are superb - Orlando Bloom's emotional scenes are amazing - it must be incredibly difficult to reach that level of emotional intensity 8 times a week. This is a play that leaves you talking about it long after you have seen it, trying to decide what is going to happen to the family. I don't think it is dated - the story still has relevance today - we all have family and this is a play about family. Paul Hilton and Gareth Farr are marvellous as the other brothers. This is a five star production.
- Rosie Blanshard, Gravesend, Kent, 15/08/2007 07:28
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My opinion about the play is that you really need to have something with it. I personally enjoyed it very much and thought Andrew and Mr. Shaw were performing very well. Orlando didn't do bad for a first time, although his accent slipped sometimes. I was glad that no one started to scream when he came on stage, that would have ruined the play. I can understand that some people find it a bit boring and unsatisfying because nothing is resolved at the end and emotions are kept in, but isn't that what happenes in a lot of families? I loved it and it grabbed me all the way.
- M. Hagen, Boesingheliede The Netherlands, 15/08/2007 07:28
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