As a dramatic writer it seems there is no accolade Stoppard hasn’t achieved. He won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay with Shakespeare in Love, and five of his plays have won Broadway’s coveted Tony Awards. The chance to see one of the neglected comedies from his vast back-catalogue is an audience draw itself.

On top of that, producer Bill Kenwright has brought together a top cast, including household name John Partridge, who played Christian Clarke in EastEnders and this year took the Celebrity Masterchef crown.

The backstage team has high credentials. Director Rachel Kavanaugh is fresh from directing a Christmas season at the RSC and brings with her rising star Charlie Stemp, who recently took the lead in her Chichester Festival Theatre production of Half a Sixpence.

And for the icing on the cake name-dropping – legendary composer Andre Previn wrote three original songs performed in the play.

The opening is promising. Colin Richmond has created a luxurious and spacious 1930s cruise ship setting, with double-deck cabins. There is also an air of elegance in his costumes, but the attire of the guests is where the characters’ sophistication ends.

For a comedy we are not expecting more than a light-hearted narrative, but the chit-chat at times is so vacuous we wonder if the story and sadly the gags have been lost over-board.

The general gist is there are two playwrights, Turai (John Partridge) and Gal (Matthew Cottle) who have until the ocean liner reaches New York to complete a new script and rehearse the show ready for opening night. The problem is they don’t yet have an ending and worse still, fear their whole company may dissolve after shenanigans between their leading actress and actor on board ship.

To add to the complication, their sensitive composer is engaged to the leading lady and overhears her talking intimately with her leading man.

Meanwhile, young waiter Dvornichek, played with a lively spark by Charlie Stemp, floats in and out of the party causing chaos on his unsteady sea-legs. Unfortunately, he is given the same joke each time he comes on stage. It might be worded in slightly different ways, but effectively it is the same gag and Stemp deserves a medal for managing to stay so chirpy as he delivers it for the umpteenth time.

Cottle too is a master of deadpan comic timing. He can get a chuckle out of the most casual lines and smallest gestures. But even getting him to absurdly chomp on a carrot for much of one scene cannot distract from the sparse material the cast have to work with.

John Partridge has a strong stage presence. He looks the part and brings the necessary energy to the role, at one-point leaping onto and doing a belly slide along a piano. Yet, for all the cast’s brilliant efforts it is not enough to save this sinking ship.

We’re left feeling there is perhaps a good reason why Rough Crossing has been neglected. If you’re keen to see all Stoppard’s works performed, then this production is likely as good as any you will see. For it is Stoppard’s material that falls flat in this comedy, proving even geniuses aren’t always geniuses all of the time.

Rough Crossing is at The Lowry, Salford Quays from 18-23 February 2019.

Read our interview with John Partridge and Charlie Stemp.

The post Tom Stoppard’s Rough Crossing at The Lowry, Theatre Review appeared first on Quays Life.

What’s Rough Crossing about?

Charlie: It’s a play within a play set on a cruise liner heading from Southampton to New York. Two writers, Sandor Turai and Alex Gal, are writing a play called The Cruise of the Dodo. I play a character called Dvornichek, who is a waiter aboard the SS Italian Castle. The play follows them and their cast having to create a new play in a very short space of time. It’s very funny. The more I do it the more I realise how funny it is.

This is my first play. Trying to show that I can do other things has been a focus for me. I have Mary Poppins coming up next, and I love musical theatre, it’s my passion, but it’s great to do other things too.

John: I like to call it an ‘undiscovered Stoppard’. It was first done in 1984 at the National Theatre and it hasn’t really been done since. It’s set on an ocean liner travelling from Southampton to New York. The character I play, Sandor Turai, is finishing the play he’s writing with Alex Gal. Then we hit some rough water!

It is a Tom Stoppard play, so there is meaning upon meaning upon meaning. It is a comedy and it is very funny, but you have to pay attention because there is a lot to take in and there’s a lot to take away from it. There is a lot of physical comedy in this too. There is also a little singing and there might even be a little tap dancing. I’ve really enjoyed putting this together.

I haven’t done many plays. I toured in my first straight play last year. To now be doing a Stoppard, I feel very lucky. In many ways it’s been an education for me and I’m not too proud to say that. I wasn’t familiar with lots of Tom Stoppard. I haven’t seen much of his work, so when I knew I was doing this I picked up a collection of his plays and read it through. I frightened myself to death, but this is so well crafted and so well written that it has been great fun.

What is your character like?

John: I play Sandor Turai. It’s a huge role for me and a great character. He is flamboyant, serious, aggressive, kind. He’s a lot of things. I go from Oscar Wilde to Jack Nicholson in the space of five seconds. I also get to be physical. I get to dance a bit. I get to sing a bit. It’s like all my dreams came true in a Stoppard. My musical theatre background has been really good for this piece. And Charlie also has that musical theatre background. It means we’ve been able to give this play a little bit of that 1930s MGM feel about it and I think it works really well. Everybody’s party pieces are being used.

Charlie: Dvornichek spends most of the cruise trying to find his sea legs as he’s lied his way onto the ship. He’s worked as a waiter for most of his life, but on land, not on a ship. The role is great fun for someone like me who loves to be physical when performing.

How are you feeling about taking the show on tour?

John: Taking a brilliant play on the road that’s not been seen much. It feels exciting, it feels fresh. It’s a great honour for us to have this opportunity to take this rarely performed piece around the UK. That’s the thrill of doing something like this.

And I’m excited to see what the reaction to it will be. I am really looking forward to see if the audience thinks it’s as funny as we do.

I’m looking forward to playing Salford. I’m from Manchester, so the Partridge clan will descend on Salford. I love being back home. If I could live and work in Manchester I would. I hit that M62, my shoulders drop and I feel relaxed.

Charlie: I’m excited. I’ve never done a UK tour before. I’m going to try and see a bit more of Britain. As a kid we used to drive around the country for holidays, which was great. I’m looking forward to visiting places I’ve never been. My Dad worked in Manchester for a long time, so we used to go every other weekend. I’m looking forward to going up there again and having a look around. I’m excited about to everywhere on the tour, but all for different reasons. It definitely won’t get boring. Expect laughter, lots of cognac, intelligent, witty actors and lots of fun.

John, how do you look back on your time playing Christian in EastEnders?

John: I’m very fond of Christian and I’m very grateful to him. If I hadn’t played him I wouldn’t have the opportunities I have now. I had a wonderful five years there, but as an actor I always want to play different parts. I’m always asked “Will you go back?” I just think, that was then; Christian’s very happy in Birmingham living an idyllic life with Syed. Long may he do so.

Have the Rough Crossing cast been taking advantage of having a Celebrity MasterChef winner on the team?

John: In rehearsals, we had a little breakfast club in the morning to do our lines. I brought banana cookies or a flourless chocolate cake. MasterChef defined where I was in my life at that time. I don’t want to say it was life changing, but it certainly helped me. Cooking the food from my past helped me to live in my present. My food story is far from over. My food career is something that will run alongside my acting career from now on. And I am constantly cooking for everybody… but I love it.

Charlie, you made your name starring in Half a Sixpence. When did you become aware of the effect it was having on your career?

Charlie: When I was nominated for an Olivier Award. That was the time when I thought, “Maybe it’s not just people blowing smoke.”

It was an exhausting whirlwind. I loved it. I had a smile on my face the entire time. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do; learning everything, keeping myself fit and healthy. I was tea total for the entire year. That show was a big ask. I was basically running half a marathon every night. But it was incredible.

Rough Crossing is at The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays from 18 – 23 February 2019.

Read our review.

See website for full tour details.

The post John Partridge and Charlie Stemp take to comedy high seas in Rough Crossing appeared first on Quays Life.