In 2020 I was lucky enough to witness The Sarah Mann Company in their simply brilliant production of Abigail’s Party. I remarked at the time that the “supreme quality” of the performances by all involved had made it a “high class” show.
Now it is 2021 and, as they say, there has been plenty of water under the bridge since any of us have been lucky enough to sit in a theatre. So, even before the production starts, and notwithstanding that the venue is an open air theatre, there is a palpable sense of excitement emanating from the socially distanced, but still very sizeable, audience.
The Brighton Open Air Theatre is a superb venue. Sheltered from the prevailing breeze, from traffic noise, acoustically perfect and, as the sun has been kind enough to make an appearance, quite a nice little suntrap as well. On the stage we see a room in Mr Bennett’s house and the skeletal frame of a van – in which there lives a lady.
Alan Bennett is a genius wordsmith. His knowledge of language and, in particular, its delivery is what helps his plays to stand head and shoulders above others. Under the direction of Nick Bartlett and Janette Eddisford and with a fabulously talented (and amazingly versatile) cast of seven consummate performers, The Lady in the Van is showcased perfectly as the masterpiece of English theatre that it surely is.
Two versions of Bennett appear in the play. One is the elderly writer Alan, looking back at a situation that has affected his life for over 15 years, and the other is the Alan who lives in the here and now. Paul Moriarty sits behind his writer’s desk, both observing and commenting, directly to the other Alan, on the unfolding drama while Nathan Ariss is the Alan who must manage the drama, to prevent it from becoming a crisis. Having an elderly lady living in a van that is parked on your drive is bad enough but, when that three month stay turns into 15 years, the prospect of a crisis developing is as menacing as the black clouds that I notice are forming in the sky ahead of us.
The bulk of the additional characters are played by Pip Henderson (Bennett’s lavatory obsessed mother, irritating neighbour Pauline and a patronising Scottish social worker) and Jack Kristiansen (Irritating Pauline’s equally irritating husband Rufus, Mam’s Doctor, Miss Shepherd’s doctor and a journalist looking for a scoop on The Lady). Both actors give each of their characters a distinctly well rounded personality, impeccable comic timing and traits that help us to instantly pop them into the like or dislike pile.
Nick Bartlett and Harry Bain complete the cast with yet more very well defined characters, and they also provide the muscles that give movement, when necessary, to the van.
Behind the wheel of her “mobile home” is one time pianist, lapsed nun, school teacher, wartime ambulance driver and, following tragedy in her life, the eccentric titular Lady in the Van. Sarah Mann encapsulates the very essence (but thankfully not the aroma) of Miss Shepherd. The walk, the voice, the manic stare and the torn and stained clothing all enhance what is just an incredibly captivating performance. At times during the show I find myself either loving Miss Shepherd, loathing her or pitying her, but one thing is for sure, with Sarah Mann in the driving seat, it’s not possible to ignore her!
In these extraordinary times, when a trip to the theatre has to be planned like a military operation, all the extra effort is worthwhile when the audience is rewarded with such an absolutely fantastic show.
***** Five Stars