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A CurtainUp 
London Review
London ReviewInadmissible Evidence
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I have depended almost entirely on other people’s efforts. — Bill Maitland
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Douglas Hodge as Bill Maitland (Photo: Johan Persson) |
The central figure of Inadmissible Evidence is Bill Maitland (Douglas Hodge), a seedy London solicitor specialising in divorce and some criminal work. But his work ethic is not the underlining characteristic of Maitland. It is his persistent womanising and the terrible way in which he treats his family and his staff. Even by 1964 standards the sexism and philandering Maitland doles out to his female secretaries —, pinching their bottoms, telling them to wear lipstick and having sexual affairs with them— is despicable.
The play opens with a dreamlike court scene where as Maitland, a portly Douglas Hodge in loud striped suit with the red points of a handkerchief peeking out from his breast pocket, is defending himself in court against charges of mediocrity. A piece of tissue with a small bloodstain is stuck to his cheek where he has ineptly cut himself shaving. The judge sits atop on a chair on a table and the defence counsel, a wigged barrister is dismissed by the defendant.
There is much hand wringing, bowing and fidgeting as Maitland apologises and tells us that he doesn’t know why he took up the law in the first place. He tells us how much he resents the competition, those with "effortless voice production" who went to Oxford colleges and go to the opera. As he says this he uses the clipped tones associated with an upper class accent. Then the court is whisked away and we are into Maitland’s reality, his crummy solicitor’s office.
Douglas Hodge’s performance is an acting tour de force. He retains the humanity of his character as it becomes apparent that his greatest critic is himself and his greatest fear is of being alone. No-one escapes his vulgar and caustic wit. But he can also manipulate and whine about his misfortunes. Maitland suffers from persistent, neurotic headaches and is always forgetting where he put his pills. He knocks back whisky to self medicate. "Blondes are like plague carriers for me," he complains about his own sexual promiscuity. He abuses his staff until they threaten to leave.
Maitland's right hand man, Wally Hudson (Daniel Ryan), is courted by a rival firm and has little reason to stay with his bullying boss. Jones (Al Weaver) his articled clerk is treated even more poorly. In one scene Maitland flicks paper at Jones using an elastic band as a makeshift catapult so Jones has to dodge the missiles while taking instruction. Secretaries Shirley (Karen Gillan) and Joy (Amy Morgan) will be used for dalliance on business trips when Maitland needs a bed warmer.
Soutra Gilmour’s incredibly detailed set is a scruffy office tip with piles of discarded books and pink ribboned briefs. Behind the solid old fashioned furniture is misted over, dirty glass, through which we can see the other staff crammed into what is really a corridor and hear the telephones ringing.
In the last act Maitland, having spent the night in the office has several visitors. Three are women, divorcing clients who, underlining the monotony for Maitland, merge into the same person and are played by the same actress with no change of clothing. One, Mr Maples (Al Weaver) is a man accused of a homosexual offence. But it is Maitland’s daughter Jane (Alice Sanders) who gets a diatribe from her father while she sits in complete silence. She is the child of the 1960s, the future generation and he complains about her appearance saying her uncombed hair makes her look like a Yorkshire Terrier caught in the Monsoon. There is no connection between father and daughter. In real life Osborne threw his wife Penelope Gilliat’s 17 year old daughter out of their house. When Maitland’s long term mistress Liz (Esther Hall) comes in, she is forgiving and loving towards him but she too will leave him.
Now I haven’t seen Inadmissible Evidence before, but others who have tell me they do not recall this play being so funny or played as a comedy. Certainly the first act is very amusing as the outrageous Maitland, in what is almost a monologue of self loathing, condemns himself out of his own mouth. If Jimmy Porter is Osborne’s Angry Young Man, Bill Maitland is the victim of his own uncontrolled damaging desires and capricious mind in middle years. He describes his own brain as being like "a film run at the wrong speed." The breakdown Bill Maitland fears became a reality for Osborne when two years after the premiere of Inadmissible Evidence he went into hospital with a nervous breakdown and his once happy third marriage to Penelope Gilliat was over.
Inadmissible Evidence in the capable hands of Jamie Lloyd has been cut from its over three hour length to less than two and a half. Douglas Hodge is quite simply superb as this man who can see but cannot stop his own self destruction. Do not miss this brilliant performance!
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| Inadmissible Evidence
Written by John Osborne Directed by Jamie Lloyd Starring: Douglas Hogg, Daniel Ryan, Al Weaver With: Serena Evans, Karen Gillan, Esther Hall, Amy Morgan, Alice Sanders Design: Soutra Gilmour Lighting: James Farncombe Composer and Sound Design: Ben and Max Ringham Production sponsored by Arielle Tepper Madover Running time: Two hours 20 minutes including an interval Box Office: 0844 871 7624 Booking to 26th November 2011 Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge based on 20th October 2011 matinée performance at the Donmar Warehouse, Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LX (Tube: Covent Garden) |
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