The Motive and the Cue

For anyone that didn’t get the chance to experience the powerful telling of this clash of two giants of their time when it played at the National Theatre, then this transfer to the Noel Coward is a must see. There is always a fascination with wanting to know the backstage stories to theatrical successes and this is on that enthrals from its opening moment to its haunting final image.

This is due initially to Jack Thorne’s wonderful script that lays bare the angst and torment that Sir John Gielgud as director and Richard Burton as his leading man went through to enable Burton to find his own true Hamlet. It is always sharp and witty and embodies the conceits and the powerplay between these central characters brilliantly. Then Sam Mendes has sculpted a masterful production where all the creatives such as Set (Es Devlin), Costume (Katrina Lindsay), Lighting (Jon Clark) and Sound (Paul Arditti) get to create a seamless vision that switches locations with a bold use of colour and scale. There is not a nuance, or a moment wasted in this phenomenal production.

Mark Gatiss is Sir John Gielgud; it is as simple as that. Every gesture every stance every pause and angst-ridden moment is the ‘man’. This is no impersonation this is an embodiment in its truest form. Equally brilliant, and he had to be, is Jonny Flynn as Richard Burton. He masters the lilt and power of Burton’s egotistical bravado whilst revealing the fragility and fear of failing. The two together have such a confidence that the pauses are as thrilling as the words themselves.

As their go-between the recently married Elizabeth Taylor, played by Tuppence Middleton, is a sassy and cheeky version so full of new love for Burton, but seeing the cracks that could so easily appear to derail their romance. Her scene at the beginning of Act 2 with Gielgud over breakfast is an absolute joy to watch as she charms and informs Gielgud on the way to get what he needs from Burton.

It is most definitely a company piece, with the large cast each making the very best of each moment that they get and even with understudies taking on certain roles there was never a moment when you would know that. As a Company they deserve every standing ovation that will undoubtedly get.

There are times when you will say in future I was there and was lucky to see an amazing production. This is very much one of those times.