Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell August 29, 2006
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : London, Reviews , trackbackIt was a quiet Saturday afternoon, and I was contemplating a big night in with the cat when my friend rang to bemoan the fact that we’re both living in the great metropolis, and doing nothing on a Saturday night. TKTS, the office for last minute theatre tickets in Leicester Square seemed to be the answer. She’s not keen on pop musicals, so Daddy Cool and We Will Rock You were off, but we’re both keen on louche comedies about London life, and there were plenty of seats left for Keith Waterhouse’s biocomic ‘Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell’.
Jeffrey Bernard was a columnist for the Spectator, mostly writing about his life in Soho in the 50s-80s, a chronic alcoholic, womeniser and all-round sorry case. The title refers to the line used by the Spectator editor whenever Bernard failed to submit his column, usually due to a serious hangover.
The play is a classic, with Tom Conti in the role originally played by Peter O’Toole. It is set in the Soho pub, the ‘Coach and Horses’ where Bernard spent most of his later years. The set itself is a key supporting player - at odd angles and leaning somewhat drunkenly to the side.
Conti gave an excellent performance, perhaps better in the second half than the first, and had me in fits of laughter over the egg trick. His occasional ad-libs to the audience such as a reference to the balltampering scandal last week were icing on the cake. He is on stage throughout in a piece which is virtually a monologue broken only occasionally by characters from his past coming into memory, and onto the stage, for a few moments before exiting again.
Its a pleasant, light evening’s entertainment, and worth seeing if you have the chance.
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