HOME PAGE
SITE GUIDE
SEARCH
REVIEWS
REVIEW ARCHIVES
ADVERTISING AT CURTAINUP
FEATURES
NEWS
Etcetera and Short Term Listings
LISTINGS Broadway Off-Broadway
NYC Restaurants
BOOKS and CDs
OTHER PLACES Berkshires London
California
New Jersey
DC
Connecticut
Philadelphia
Elsewhere
QUOTES
TKTS
PLAYWRIGHTS' ALBUMS
LETTERS TO EDITOR
FILM
LINKS
MISCELLANEOUS Free Updates
Masthead
Writing for Us
|
A CurtainUp London Review
The Sunshine Boys
As an actor no one could touch him – as a human being no one wanted to touch him.
— Willie Clarke
|
Rebecca Blackstone as Miss MacKintosh and Danny DeVito as Willie Clarke (Photo: Johan Persson) |
Neil Simon’s 1972 comedy The Sunshine Boys, about a vaudeville act who detest each other and are persuaded to come out of retirement for a final TV show, comes to London’s Savoy Theatre as a vehicle for veteran comic actor Danny DeVito. It is a disappointing first act although Adam Levy works hard as Willie Clark (DeVito)’s caring nephew and agent. When after a long wait we eventually meet Willie’s erstwhile partner, Al Lewis (Richard Griffiths) we find the gargantuan Griffiths is dwarfed by the role and has trouble keeping his American accent going. Maybe the New Jersey accent was more difficult than he anticipated.
In the first act, the audience laughter from behind sounded canned – surely it couldn’t have been but like Queen Victoria, we were so unamused, it seemed that way. The director may have been able to improve things because by all accounts those who saw it later in the week leading up to the gala opening were less disappointed.
The second act is better because it recreates the pair's comedy show but the humour is largely of the Carry on Nurse variety and pretty dated, unless you find iy hysterical to watch Danny DeBVito looking up a nurse’s skirt. Later the two men survey their future and realise that they may be seeing more of each other than either of them intended and will be locked together in an enmity and rivalry, in their version of Hell. For this play to work there has to be the idea that there once was a connection between the two vaudevillians and although DeVito is credible, Griffiths is rather quiet and gentlemanly.
DeVito works hard and succeeds as the hyper, cantankerous and resentful Clarke. He is at his best verbally sparking with Adam Levy as his really kind nephew and agent Ben. We see Willie in his pyjamas, living in Hildegarde Bechtler’s scruffy hotel suite trying to answer the phone when the kettle whistles. Willie Clarke has never forgiven Al Lewis for pulling out of their double act 11 years ago and leaving him impecunious and desperate for any acting work of which there is precious little. Richard Griffiths is very well turned out and rather gentlemanly but unconnected.
For those who want to see Danny DeVito live on stage, this will deliver.
Sorry to rain on your parade Sunshine Boys!
Subscribe to our FREE email updates with a note from editor Elyse Sommer about additions to the website -- with main page hot links to the latest features posted at our numerous locations. To subscribe,
E-mail: esommer@curtainup.comesommer@curtainup.com put SUBSCRIBE CURTAINUP EMAIL UPDATE in the subject line and your full name and email address in the body of the message -- if you can spare a minute, tell us how you came to CurtainUp and from what part of the country.
|
The Sunshine Boys
Written by Neil Simon
Directed by Thea Sharrock
Starring: Danny DeVito, Richard Griffiths, Adam Levy
With: William Maxwell, Peter Cadden, Nicholas Blakeley, Rebecca Blackstone, Johnnie Fiori
Design: Hildegarde Bechtler
Lighting: Neil Austin
Sound: Ian Dickinson for Autograph
Music: Adrian Johnston
Comedy consultant: Jos Houben
Running time: Two hours 20 minutes with one interval
Box Office: 0844 871 7615
Booking to 28th July 2012
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge based on 12th May 2012 performance at the Savoy Theatre, Strand, London WC2R 0ET (Tube: Piccadilly Circus)
|
REVIEW FEEDBACK
Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
- I agree with the review of The Sunshine Boys
- I disagree with the review of The Sunshine Boys
- The review made me eager to see The Sunshine Boys
Click on the address link E-mail: esommer@curtainup.com
Paste the highlighted text into the subject line (CTRL+ V):
Feel free to add detailed comments in the body of the email . . . also the names and emails of any friends to whom you'd like us to forward a copy of this review.
|
|
|