ACCOLADE AT THE ARTS THEATRE
David Phelan, Honeysuckle Weeks, Gavin Fowler, Jamie Hogarth, Narinder Smara and foreground Ayden Callaghan
Accolade begins with giddy celebration . Ayden Callaghan plays Will Trenting, a wildly successful writer with the world at his feet – Nobel prize, BBC broadcasts, an author at the peak of his powers. In his elegant Regent’s Park house with his charming wife Rona ( Honeysuckle Weeks is relentlessly convincing in this role ) and adorable schoolboy son Ian, played with authentic naivete by Louis Holland all meet., The family and admirers are thrilled with his latest news , the Accolade of the title : Will is up for a knighthood. Jamie Hogarth brilliant as Albert his personable cockney secretary, is his confidant, successfully breaks up the chorus of breathlessness with his down to earth delivery - Sara Crowe as Marian Tillyard is superb as the familiar faithful friend , delighted at Will’s forthcoming trip to Buckingham Palace, the closeness to royal provokes quasi- hysterical joy . He has arrived at the top, a long way from his roots in Rotherhithe. The rebel writer, famous for merciless portrayal of the dark side of life, is finally reluctantly ( he claims) about to submerge into the Establishment.
Sarah Twomey and Gavin Fowler
The production is perfect on the protocol of 1950. From the radio on stage, a sombre voice flutes out the oh-so- correct version of international affairs. It is a world of the élite – now ready to receive the bad boy of literature as one of their own
But it all begins to unravel. Enter Thane, his publisher, an urbane but brilliantly nuanced performance from David Phelan. He is the hinge of the whole play, cool under fire, the secret epicentre of events .Later, when his moment comes this thoughtful honest man knows how use it. A loveable Everyman with guts. At the same time a remarkable couple come through the back door. Sarah Twomey and Gavin Fowler are Phyllis and Harold, a hugely glamorous twosome who run the Blue Boar in Rotherhithe. Effervescent and fun they take over the stage and the action – with rumbustious energy – their joyous exit through the formal double doors of the drawing room is a mini- drama of its own. And their remark on middle class people’s response to trouble is brilliant - unused to crises ‘ they take it all so hard ‘, they agree. They admit they are ‘wide boys’ an expression seldom heard these days - they know they can take the knocks and are ready for a rumble. But they do bring bad news. At first it seems trivial. Then manageable, next disastrous. Now the two parts of Will Trenting’s life collide. In a memorable scene he explains his unlikely Rotherhithe friends to an incredulous Thane, and what begins as a muted reveal turns into a roar of defiance from a powerful Ayden Callaghan, Will, as the steadfast publisher Thane, reels in disbelief. The plot begins to darken. Narinder Samra is the unexpected final visitor who will turn Will’s world upside down, as the morning of his investiture dawns. His character, Daker, combines manipulation with menace. The game is up for Will, the second act has all to play for.
This is a classic drama – packed with devastating developments, shock disclosures no audience could expect. And no critic can reveal. Enough to say it is a great night at the theatre.
Ayden Callaghan Honeysuckle Weeks and Jamie Hogarth
Ready for the investiture
Louis Holland as son, Ian as he draws the curtain
