Duet for One - Tom Kempinski

[Old Grumpy]

Following a feature on In Tune a while ago I bought tickets for, and have just returned from, a matinee performance on the current tour of Tom Kempinski's Duet for One starring Belinda Lang and Jonathan Coy. I thought it excellent and thought provoking. The house was nearly empty. This may be due to a) matinee performance, b) location: Darlington Hippodrome, c) ticket price of £23. Has anyone else seen this? What did you think? Mrs G, who was with me, did not return to the performance after the interval, but preferred to read her book in the cafe during the second half.

OG

[Conchis]

This play is now nearly 40 years old. I have memories of seeing it at some point, though I can't remember the details. I think it is fairly frequently revived mainly due to the fact that it requires only two actors. It rather too obviously references Jacqueline du Pre. I would classify it as 'culinary theatre' - ie, the kind of play you will go and watch as the prelude, or postlude, to a meal out. It's not too disturbing, not too stimulating and doesn't set bourgeois feathers flying. If I appear to be damning it with faint praise (or praising it with faint damns), then that's probably because I don't think it's that good a play - as a Millennial might put it, it's a bit 'meh'.

Still, sad to hear that Darlington doesn't seem to love it, as Belinda Lang is a very good actress.
OG[/QUOTE]

[Old Grumpy]

I must admit that, having been a sporadic theatregoer for at least 40 years, I had not heard of this play until the feature about its latest renaissance on In Tune. Whether this says more about me, or the play itself, I cannot say!

OG