| Remember
'The Fast Show' and Paul Whitehouse as music hall entertainer Arthur
Atkinson? 'How queer!'...'Where's me washboard?'
This
is the story of wartime entertainer Archie Rice, a struggling comedian
performing at a music hall that is rapidly losing itÂ’s audience
to more popular variety shows.
Set
in 1956, The Entertainer by John Osborne follows the lives of three
generations in post-war England at it falls from as its status as
a colonial power.
Corin
Redgrave is brilliant as Archie, the all-round funny man replete
with bad jokes and patriotic wartime songs. The crowds donÂ’t
love him anymore, but Archie keeps on smiling and dancing. After
all itÂ’s the British way to put on a brave face - a couple
of gags and everything will be alright.
Paola
Dionisotti gives an excellent performance as his long-suffering
alcoholic wife Phoebe; she remains committed to her husband, putting
up with his womanising and trying to hide their money problems.
Eileen
Walsh and Mark Rice-Oxley are wonderful as Archie's children: Jean
and Frank. Leslie Randall is also first-class as ArchieÂ’s Dad,
Billy.
It
might be set in the 50Â’s, but The Entertainer is a story of
family relationships and is as relevant today as ever. It will make
you stop and think about where youÂ’re headed yourself.
The
Entertainer runs at the Liverpool Playhouse until until 7th February
2004. |
