Review of The Madness of George III at Perth Theatre

Oct 1 2010 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

THEATRE-lovers are indeed fortunate to have three excellent producing theatres in Tayside – Perth, Pitlochry and Dundee Rep – where all-round quality is almost always guaranteed.

So it is unfortunate when a touring production which promises so much comes way short of the high standard expected from a night at the theatre.

And it is impossible to write a review of one Alan Bennett play – The Madness of George III – without comparing it to another production of his work staged the previous week at Dundee Rep – Talking Heads. The latter shone with tight direction and superb acting backed up by technical excellence; the former is a clumsy, sloppily staged, penny-counting, over-long production rescued only by some robust performances by its leading actors.

There is no doubt that drama departments of local schools could have come up with a better offering of Alan Bennett’s 1991 play, which fictionalises the latter half of the reign of George III, when the monarch’s mental illness and the ensuing constitutional crisis exposed family and political angst which is as alive now as in 1788.

Bennett’s play needs some shrewd pruning but it does contain warmth, humour and political intrigue, pithy statements, offers a powerful stage for an actor to portray the monarch’s madness, and has endearing moments of affection between the King (Simon Ward) and Queen (Susan Penhaligon).

But poor stagecraft here smothers the play’s attributes. Putting aside the technical difficulties which delayed opening night’s curtain-up by 50 minutes, Alastair Whatley cannot decide if he is directing a pantomime or serious drama; make-up is sloppy; lighting is clumsy; costumes are lacklustre; and the plastic wigs inject an element of farce.

Some members of the 13-strong cast give convincing performances, most notably Ward, Penhaligon, and Jamie Hinde in the contrasting roles as Pitt the shrewd politician and Pepys the dippy doctor.

The Madness of George III continues at Perth Theatre until October 9.

Alison Anderson