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Callow shines in a Dickens of a show
Dr
Marigold & Mr Chops Malvern
Festival Theatre *****
Simon Callow is absolutely the master of powerful story telling! As quite
the authority on Dickens, he has successfully presented the life of
Charles Dickens in both the West End and Broadway, Callow brings to life
two one-man plays in what I can only describe as a truly absorbing
evening at the theatre. Adapted by Patrick Garland,
these masterpieces were most popular with Dickens himself who performed
them on his reading tours in the late 1860s. To shed a little more light,
Dickens, as a desperate need for a distraction from his own personal
life, began touring and performing these short stories to the delight of
his audiences. The readings intensified his
own love affair with a young actress, for whom he left his wife of 22
years, as he sought and found approval, beginning a connection with the
general public, as he toured Europe and America. The first lighter, and perhaps
less engaging of the two stories, is told by Callow as he portrays Toby
Magsman, a Victorian fairground manager, who recounts the tale of a
dwarf, Mr. Chops, who wins the lottery and thus a place in society, only
to discover that there is more human kindness in his previous wretched
existence, then there is on offer in the overly acclaimed society
itself.
The second more memorable and
moving story of Dr Marigold was inspired by Dickens after finishing “Our
Mutual Friend”. Dickens claimed that “the little
character came flashing upon.... in the most cheerful manner and I had
only to look on and leisurely describe it." Here we meet a travelling
salesman who adopts a young deaf and dumb girl.
Callow transforms himself into this simple but honorable man, moving
from an unhappy marriage to a violent woman and the death of his
daughter through to his adoption of the young waif and eventually a far
happier and fulfilled life. The warmth of the
relationship between Dr Marigold and Sophie evolves. Both pieces explore the
differences between the social classes in true Dickens style with a
clever blend of humor, the bizarre and also the poignant. It's quite mesmerizing how one
man can captivate an audience over little less than a two hour period.
But this is where Callow is so masterful, the richness of the
lone voice exposes all human emotions to the core, as he fills every
moment of each story with his magnificent energy, gusto and passion. It is sentimental and slightly
overdone at times but the richness of writing, performance and a magical
set swathed in a sea of red velvet curtains creates a spell which cannot
fail to enchant. This is a chance for audiences of all
generations to witness a fine actor, presenting a master class in
delivery, character dexterity, and sheer acting brilliance. To
19-11-11. Johanna Brand
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