Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
As a young reporter on the Milton Keynes Mirror I was sent on an assignment to the Open University HQ to review the first screening of a new film starring Julie Waters, an actress fairly popular at the time for comedic TV roles.
She was sat in the row in front of me in the lecture hall and was watching it too for the first time at a public showing.
It was marvellous, I recall, and deservingly went on to win great accolades and Oscar nominations for Julie and her co-star Michael Caine.
However, what I hadn’t realised until this week was that playwright Willy Russell’s original stage version was far superior … and theatre-goers in Bahrain are in for a treat with a commanding, captivating and thoroughly convincing offering from Rory Adamson and Julia Doorne.
Short, sharp scenes keep the audience enthralled throughout this emotionally-gripping, witty and wondrous, roller-coaster journey of a working class young woman who wants to fulfil her inquisitive mind with education and the cynical, weary professor who is bored with life at home and at work and finds solace only in a bottle before he encounters his new part-time student.
Rory has the role of Frank down to perfection, rolling and sometimes roaring around on stage as if in true life he was despairing over education issues. His wig is worth the entrance fee alone and without giving the game away or spoiling it for readers who have snapped up tickets for tonight, tomorrow or Friday, I’m surprised his hairdressing co-star didn’t grab the scissors a lot earlier in this comedy drama.
So convincing in his delivery there are times you want to rush on stage, shake him and tell him to grab the world by the proverbials, shouting at the top of your voice: ‘you’re worth so much more than this!’
Julia is razor-sharp in her role of Rita and delivers an absolutely breath-taking performance as she takes you on a journey of inner-growth and beauty with passion and power. You cannot keep your eyes off this actress from the moment she steps on stage.
Well done too to director Mike Franklin, Carrie Bell, assisted by Sowsan Hasan, in charge of props (with the help of the actors) and stage managing, Karen Ralph on the lights and sound and Rosemary Lee, responsible for costumes, hair and make-up.
Marvellous entertainment matched by a superb set offering a window into a classroom battle of class, confidence and life’s incredible journey.
-Stan Szecowka
