{"id":40450,"date":"2014-02-15T21:09:24","date_gmt":"2014-02-15T21:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8ce250469d.nxcli.io\/?post_type=theatre-review&p=40450"},"modified":"2020-08-23T00:19:50","modified_gmt":"2020-08-22T23:19:50","slug":"the-fat-mans-wife-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment-focus.com\/2014\/02\/15\/the-fat-mans-wife-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The Fat Man\u2019s Wife review"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Fat Man\u2019s Wife was written in the late 1930s when Tennessee Williams was in his twenties, and a good decade before his most famous plays. Perhaps, like a lot of writers, Williams was keen to conceal his early works, seeing them as feet-finding exercises, since the Fat Man\u2019s Wife lay undiscovered until 2000 \u2013 seventeen years after the playwright\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

An intriguing question that arises given the circumstance surrounding the play, and the significance of this being the first ever performance of it in the UK, is would the playwright be turning in his grave to see a long-buried work brought to life, or delighted?<\/p>\n

Well, we\u2019ll never know. But judged on its merits, The Fat Man\u2019s Wife is a well-written and simply but clearly structured one-act play. There are flashes of vintage Williams in the dialogue, and the characters are embryos of his most famous creations.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
Emma Taylor as Vera. Photo by Simon Annand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve, and the Cartwrights have been to a glitzy showbiz party. Returning home, drink loosens their tongues, and they challenge one another about their indiscretions. Joe (Richard Stephenson Winter) is the titular fat man, a struggling theatre producer with more than a few hang-ups; whilst Vera (Emma Taylor), his wife, is beautiful and glamorous yet neglected, with her best years behind her. When Joe pops out for some \u2018aspirin\u2019, plucky young playwright Dennis (Damien Hughes) pays Vera a visit, intending to make her an offer she can\u2019t refuse.<\/p>\n

This production of The Fat Man\u2019s Wife suffers from the Elia Kazan effect of making Tennessee Williams ponderous. There\u2019s much in his dialogue that is funny, and he repeatedly invites us to laugh at the pretentions and vanities of his creations. Without levity Williams is leaden, and there are a few too many unnecessary Pinteresque pauses and dramatic weight given to \u2018significant\u2019 lines here. It\u2019s one way of playing it, and it\u2019s consistent, but it doesn\u2019t necessarily shine the best light on the source material.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
Richard Stephenson Winter as Joe. Photo by Simon Annand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The standout performance is Emma Taylor as Vera Cartwright, who embodies everything you would hope in a Williams\u2019 heroine. Admittedly, she\u2019s helped by the script, since Williams was one of the few male playwrights to write women better than men, but her portrayal of an ageing beauty is subtle and dignified, whilst her biting sarcasm is timed to perfection. Richard Stephenson Winter has more success in the later scenes as Joe, utilising a hangdog expression that makes him ideal for the role. Whilst his flashes of anger early on convince, it\u2019s a hand somewhat over-played. As the young love interest, Damien Hughes gives an interesting showing, hampered slightly by a peculiar and wavering accent, though he successfully brings in some neat comic touches.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
Damien Hughes as Dennis. Photo by Simon Annand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The intimate setting of the Canal Caf\u00e9 Theatre is an excellent choice for the play. The audience is invited to silently intrude on the living room of the Cartwrights, and director Russell Lucas exploits the tension skilfully. The warm, orange lighting set against the dark red walls is also a perfect choice, and the set details and costumes admirably capture the period.<\/p>\n

Overall, even though it\u2019s a short piece, The Fat Man\u2019s Wife could afford to sacrifice dramatic weight for a tighter pace. Admirers of Tennessee Williams\u2019 work will find a production they\u2019ve never seen before, which does justice to the source material and has the playwright\u2019s distinctive stamp all over it. The Fat Man\u2019s Wife is a curiosity that deserves to find its audience.<\/p>\n

This review is based on a preview performance given on 13th<\/sup> February.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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