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Nicholas de Jongh's rating
, Entertaining Mr Sloane is still seductive
By
Nicholas de Jongh
2 Feb 2009
Forty-five years after its London premiere, Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane comes up almost as fresh as a four‑leaf clover. If there has been a funnier British comedy since Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, I cannot recall it.
Even director Nick Bagnall’s spectacular miscasting of Matthew Horne, who replaces Mr Sloane, the bisexual, opportunistic, muscle-boy of the playwright’s imagining, with a campish, dyed-hair, 30-year-old of no distinct personality, does not that greatly diminish the savage fun or originality of Orton’s historic black comedy.
Besides, Imelda Staunton’s 40-plus Kath, who picks up Sloane and takes him home in the crazy hope of long-term sexual bliss, fills the gaps left by Horne’s insipid performance. Oozing gentility, decorum and respectability, she proceeds to discard all three of these deadly national virtues with shameless, not to say rapacious enthusiasm. Staunton conveys the essence of Orton’s attack upon the old English art of hypocrisy in a performance of hilariously comic brio, undercover sexual desire and devastating accuracy.
“You should wear more clothes, Mr Sloane,” her Kath reproves as she proceeds to yank off his trousers. Dressed in a see-through negligee that exposes her almost full-frontal nudity to the bisexual Sloane’s scarcely interested gaze, still protesting her innocent intentions, Staunton contrives to end up with the young man atop her: a vintage travesty of a seduction.
The scene typifies Orton’s method of satirical attack. He paints subversive, misogynistic pictures of family life in which amorality and lust — gay and straight — not to mention a hint of Oedipal incest, reign supreme. His characters revel in artificiality, innuendo and humbuggery, even buggery as well, to conceal their dark desires. The plot show how well immorality flourishes in the worst-regulated families.
Kath and her gay brother, Ed, beautifully played by Simon Paisley Day as an impassive, moustachioed figure with a three‑piece suit and a one-track mind, turn four blind eyes to a criminal fact: Sloane has murdered their father, Richard Bremmer’s suitably decrepit Kemp, in the family living room — Peter McKintosh’s design makes the place the acme of hideousness.
It is the killer’s undoing. Horne, who fails to use his sex appeal as a shrimping net, ends up blackmailed into being the couple’s resident plaything. The forces of wickedness achieve a discreet victory in this shockingly enjoyable comedy.
Until 11 April. Information: 0870 060 6632, www.trafalgar-studios.co.uk.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (5)
What a brilliant production of an extremely well-written play. Joe Orton wanted to see Entertaining Mr. Sloane played straight, because it's much funnier that way than played for cheap laughs, and that's precisely what he gets here. Imedla Staunton has the cream of the lines: "The habits of the elderly are beyond the pale,' and, following the Dada's whinge about being abandoned and put in a home, she accuses him of being at, 'that ham!' Staunton is a perfect Orton player because she is so unintentionally absurd. Matthew Horne stands up extremely well in his first major West End role. The accent may be all over the place but he has plenty of menace and a narcissistic glee that is complimented by a black leather ensemble. Simon Paisley Day almost steals the show as Ed, pompously preposterous and misogynist on the one hand but on the other, the play's greatest victim. While, Sloane and Kath use their cunning to get what they want, Ed is a victim of an era when homosexuality was still illegal and hence consigned to a lifetime of heartless hustlers like Sloane who take his money and his car. What is surprising about this fine revival is the torrid drama in Act Two. When Sloane flings Kath about the stage and pushes her face into the mirror, Orton ventures into Blanche duBois territory. Orton could be every bit the equal of Pinter and certainly much funnier.
- Dj, London, 23/03/2009 14:01
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I agree completely with NJ Martin, and thought this production was very badly let down by Matthew Horne, his performance was so mannered as though he was just tiresomely imitating the original film, it was lazy to say the least.
The wonderful performances by Imelda Stauton and the actor who played Ed were the productions' saving grace.
- Theresa Bagley, London, UK, 12/03/2009 22:40
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Thank the devil for Imelda Staunton's wickedly delicious multi-layered performance as Kath. I saw the production last night and she alone kept the night alive. Unfortunately she is saddled with the anaemic, charmless, sexless Horne as Sloane, who spouts Orton's jewelled dialogue with no apparent motive or intent and moves around the stage like the soggy crumbling crumpet that Dadda prepares in Act 1. Staunton deserves better than this. Her performance lurches between overbearing sexual predator to maternal vulnerability and at times encompassing all at once! Apart from a superbly evocative set, and the clever use of a Jim Reeves track, she is the only reason to see this production...Mrs Prentice next please.
- A Gregory, London UK, 07/02/2009 12:23
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I have never seen this play before and thoroughly enjoyed it - I agree with the reviewer that Imelda Staunton was excellent, as were the actors who played Ed and Kemp (the crumpet scene towards the beginning was well played) but felt the play was let down by Horne's Sloane - wooden acting, an accent that changed constantly and an unconvincing personality. A young Marc Warren would have been far preferable.
- N J Martin, London UK, 06/02/2009 16:59
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I must say that as Joe Orton's sister, I've seen every production of Sloane since Joe died in 1967. This, for me, is the definitive production. Nick Bagnall's direction is spot on. Its a great cast. I think the three star rating is unjustified. Leonie Orton Barnett.
- Leonie Orton Barnett, Norfolk UK, 03/02/2009 07:46
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