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A regal loss for words
King George VI, played by Raymond Coulthard, struggles to
master speaking with his maverick speech therapist Lionel Logue played
by Jason Donovan
The King's Speech
Malvern Theatres
****
THERE'S
something quite majestic about this touring production of
The King's Speech.
It not only benefits from a superb cast but is crowned off with a
glorious stage set that is fit for a king.
It's a hard act to follow the film of the same
name that won a multitude of top awards including the Oscar for Best
Picture, but filling the shoes of Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush as
stuttering King George VI and his Australian speech therapist Lionel
Logue are Raymond Coulthard and Jason Donovan.
The pair of actors have a wonderful chemistry
as we follow their characters' unconventional relationship as they try
to overcome the royal's speech problems.
Aside from this central relationship drama,
the national crisis of Edward VIII's abdication to marry divorcee Wallis
Simpson and the looming Second World War keep the story bubbling along
nicely.
The grand set makes it even more watchable.
It's floor to ceiling wood panelling with a wooden parkay floor and
velvet curtains that slide across stage to break up the scenes and
action. Amid the wood are secret doors and balconies from where radio
announcers and the like appear.
Coulthard, a familiar face on television in
series from Call The Midwife
to Mr Selfridge,
has realistically grasped the role, stuttering in a natural way rather
than making the character a cliche.
While Donovan shows his aptitude for more
serious acting compared to the usual musical roles he takes. His Logue
is a lovable figure with energy, affection and plenty of bravado, no
more enjoyably so than when he is making the stuffy Archbishop Cosmo
Lang bristle. This comes during a standout scene in Westminster Abbey,
when the king is practising for the coronation. It's funny, serious,
emotional and powerful within the one scene - perfect theatre.
The archbishop is played by Martin Turner (Holby
City, New Tricks) and just one of the strong cast that includes an
impressive Claire Lams as Queen Elizabeth (recently seen in The Wrong
Mans) and Nicholas Blane as a believable Winston Churchill.
The whole production is an intelligent drama
and a very regal affair. It has earned a salute from me. To 02-05-15
Alison Brinkworth
27-04-15
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