REVIEW
plus
INTERVIEW
with
GAVIN AND STACEY’S MATHEW HORNE AND DOWNTON ABBEY’S ED SPELEERS
RAIN MAN
Palace Theatre, Westcliff
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
24-29 September 2018
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
plus
INTERVIEW
with
GAVIN AND STACEY’S MATHEW HORNE AND DOWNTON ABBEY’S ED SPELEERS
RAIN MAN
Palace Theatre, Westcliff
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
24-29 September 2018
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
Last month, we were invited to the press launch of Rain Man at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. The play is an adaption of the 1988 film which starred Tom Cruise as Charlie Babbitt and Dustin Hoffman as his brother, Raymond. The film was to give Hoffman an Oscar for Best Male Performance.
Ed Speleers, in his debut stage appearance takes on the role of Charlie Babbit with Mathew Horne taking the part of Raymond. Under the direction of Jonathan O’Boyle both male leads have clearly put an enormous amount of work into their characters to deliver the most outstanding performances.
Ed Speleers, in his debut stage appearance takes on the role of Charlie Babbit with Mathew Horne taking the part of Raymond. Under the direction of Jonathan O’Boyle both male leads have clearly put an enormous amount of work into their characters to deliver the most outstanding performances.
"When self-centered salesman Charlie Babbitt discovers that his long-lost brother
Raymond, an autistic savant with a genius for numbers, has inherited the family fortune; he sets out to get ‘his half’.
Charlie ‘borrows’ Raymond from the institution where he has spent most of his life and the two brothers embark on a trip across America where Charlie soon discovers that Raymond is worth more than he could have ever imagined…"
Raymond, an autistic savant with a genius for numbers, has inherited the family fortune; he sets out to get ‘his half’.
Charlie ‘borrows’ Raymond from the institution where he has spent most of his life and the two brothers embark on a trip across America where Charlie soon discovers that Raymond is worth more than he could have ever imagined…"
It is a cleverly directed and stage managed play which moves along at a great pace with some extremely slick scene changes. It also remains very true to the film, at the same time allowing the audience a unique opportunity to be drawn into the action on stage. There's a sense of feeling much closer to the characters as they play out this wonderful story of two brothers on a journey of discovery.
Dan Gordon's Rain Man has the ability to make you laugh out loud but will also gently pull on emotional heart-strings. It’s not often 'yours truly' gets reduced to tears - I’m a self confessed ‘tough old bird’ - but this wonderful Bill Kenwright production, together with its excellent cast has produced a heartwarming play that is embedded with such subtle pathos and emotion, it will creep up on you unawares and be sure to leave the most hardened theatre-goer grappling around in their handbags/pockets for a tissue.
Throughout the whole play, and filling out the scene changes, is a fabulous eighties soundtrack which will take you straight back to the decade of poodle perms and stonewashed jeans, Cyndi Lauper and Bon Jovi. I love that the same music used at the beginning of the film, (Iko Iko by the Belle Stars) is also used at the beginning of this production. Nice touch.
Elizabeth Carter as Charlie's long suffering girlfriend puts in a super performance, as do Mairi Barclay (Lucy/Sally/Iris the Hooker), Neil Roberts as Dr Bruener, Adam Lilley as Mr Mooney & Dr Marston, Joe Sellman Leava (Billy the Tourist/Bell Boy) and Hannah Barker (Brandy the Tourist) who all prove to be an excellent supporting cast.
Ed Speleers treads the boards as if he's been at it all his life and puts in a confident and solid performance as Charlie, the hot headed, selfish brother who makes a true journey of self discovery and Mathew Horne gives the performance of a lifetime and completely endears from the moment he walks on stage as Raymond. Do not under-estimate this actor; this is one hell of a committed performance. The scene in the hotel room where they make a shocking discovery about their past is goosebump inducing and not a sound could be heard from the Windsor audience; likewise the final scene.
If there were Olivier Awards for touring productions, this one would win the lot in my book! Don't miss it.
Dan Gordon's Rain Man has the ability to make you laugh out loud but will also gently pull on emotional heart-strings. It’s not often 'yours truly' gets reduced to tears - I’m a self confessed ‘tough old bird’ - but this wonderful Bill Kenwright production, together with its excellent cast has produced a heartwarming play that is embedded with such subtle pathos and emotion, it will creep up on you unawares and be sure to leave the most hardened theatre-goer grappling around in their handbags/pockets for a tissue.
Throughout the whole play, and filling out the scene changes, is a fabulous eighties soundtrack which will take you straight back to the decade of poodle perms and stonewashed jeans, Cyndi Lauper and Bon Jovi. I love that the same music used at the beginning of the film, (Iko Iko by the Belle Stars) is also used at the beginning of this production. Nice touch.
Elizabeth Carter as Charlie's long suffering girlfriend puts in a super performance, as do Mairi Barclay (Lucy/Sally/Iris the Hooker), Neil Roberts as Dr Bruener, Adam Lilley as Mr Mooney & Dr Marston, Joe Sellman Leava (Billy the Tourist/Bell Boy) and Hannah Barker (Brandy the Tourist) who all prove to be an excellent supporting cast.
Ed Speleers treads the boards as if he's been at it all his life and puts in a confident and solid performance as Charlie, the hot headed, selfish brother who makes a true journey of self discovery and Mathew Horne gives the performance of a lifetime and completely endears from the moment he walks on stage as Raymond. Do not under-estimate this actor; this is one hell of a committed performance. The scene in the hotel room where they make a shocking discovery about their past is goosebump inducing and not a sound could be heard from the Windsor audience; likewise the final scene.
If there were Olivier Awards for touring productions, this one would win the lot in my book! Don't miss it.
Stopping to have a quick chat with me after the show, I was lucky enough to grab hold of the stars of the show, Mathew Horne and Ed Speleers. Here’s what they had to say…....
Mathew Horne
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Hi Mathew, I’ve just had to try and contain myself to stop myself from crying….how do you keep up that kind of performance?
Cos I'm an actor, [laughs], it’s my job. Does having a brother who’s autistic help with the role of Raymond? A little bit, but mainly the people he’s been around in his various educational facilities and day care centres and stuff - so not specifically him. He’s on a very different part of the spectrum to Raymond but I have drawn on people he’s been around and who I’ve experienced in my life with him. The film's 30 years old - do you think attitudes towards autism have changed much since then? I think they have changed since then. Not as significantly as one would like, but we are dealing with attitudes towards autism in 1988; so we haven’t had to worry about that too much because we are dealing with a period play and we are dealing with those attitudes which are both sociological and psychological, so we focused on that. |
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It’s very true to the film, so people may know what to expect. I’ve seen the film but I still didn’t expect to feel the emotions I felt watching. What do you think the play will bring to a brand new audience?
I hope it stands alone as a really good play. For such a successful film it’s really difficult to expect people not to have seen it. I like to think that for people who have seen it, we meet their expectations but also it will exceed them as well because, you know, it’s a different medium as well. It’s quite intimate and the core of the story is right in front of you. I think our director, Jonathan O’Boyle has done a really great job of doing a play with very succinct story telling [pauses]… and me doing a bit of rocking. [smiles]
It’s engrossing. It’s really wonderful
You really liked it didn’t you? [laughs]
I really did, I can’t remember the last time I saw something where the tears are rolling down my cheeks and I’m just…[makes sad face]
You look at bit emotional now…
I’m actually glad we’re not filming this interview because my eyes are really red [Mathew laughs]
Also, I really hate having to be forced to stand up at the end to do an ovation but I was definitely going to stand up and give one to you guys!
We’ve had a few and it’s very kind of you.
We can’t wait to see you in Southend - have you been to the Palace Theatre before?
I think I did the Catherine Tait Show Live there.
Think that might have been the Cliffs Pavilion.
So no, I haven’t been to the Palace, no.
We can’t wait to see you!
I hope it stands alone as a really good play. For such a successful film it’s really difficult to expect people not to have seen it. I like to think that for people who have seen it, we meet their expectations but also it will exceed them as well because, you know, it’s a different medium as well. It’s quite intimate and the core of the story is right in front of you. I think our director, Jonathan O’Boyle has done a really great job of doing a play with very succinct story telling [pauses]… and me doing a bit of rocking. [smiles]
It’s engrossing. It’s really wonderful
You really liked it didn’t you? [laughs]
I really did, I can’t remember the last time I saw something where the tears are rolling down my cheeks and I’m just…[makes sad face]
You look at bit emotional now…
I’m actually glad we’re not filming this interview because my eyes are really red [Mathew laughs]
Also, I really hate having to be forced to stand up at the end to do an ovation but I was definitely going to stand up and give one to you guys!
We’ve had a few and it’s very kind of you.
We can’t wait to see you in Southend - have you been to the Palace Theatre before?
I think I did the Catherine Tait Show Live there.
Think that might have been the Cliffs Pavilion.
So no, I haven’t been to the Palace, no.
We can’t wait to see you!
Ed Speleers
|
Hi, Ed. This is your first professional play (stage debut) and you did a brilliant job, you’ve been getting fantastic audience reactions, I’m sure?
It’s been bizarre, because being the first time it’s been quite humbling…more than humbling….I don’t know what it’s been. It's been quite emphatic the reaction and we’re only in our first week and people have been really great……you wanna do well. So what was it like for you the first time you stood in front of an audience - did you feel the nerves? Beforehand yeah, I was definitely a bit shaky; but it’s a weird thing, adrenalin; it can get you through and as long as you don’t allow your brain to stop thinking and stop breathing basically, you’ll be fine. Actually adrenalin can really push things forward and you can play off it - well try to. The nerves are there every night, that doesn’t go away but you get to have more fun with it. If people respond well you get to play more which is good. |
Had you and Mat worked together before?
No, we met up and had lunch a couple of times and we just got on very well quite quickly.
It’s quite important really isn’t it?
I think so. It’s funny because the characters are at a disconnect whilst then ultimately being quite connected and I think trying to work that out was quite interesting; but I think in order to do that we had to work in a very intense way and we were doing all hours, staying late night for rehearsals. We worked hard - but I like working hard, that’s the thing to do.
If you’re well rehearsed you can build on it then can’t you?
You can enjoy it. If you’ve done the work and put the time in and you feel comfortable with it, whatever the response is, you can’t control that but you can control how well prepared you are. If you’re well prepared you will enjoy yourself I think.
No, we met up and had lunch a couple of times and we just got on very well quite quickly.
It’s quite important really isn’t it?
I think so. It’s funny because the characters are at a disconnect whilst then ultimately being quite connected and I think trying to work that out was quite interesting; but I think in order to do that we had to work in a very intense way and we were doing all hours, staying late night for rehearsals. We worked hard - but I like working hard, that’s the thing to do.
If you’re well rehearsed you can build on it then can’t you?
You can enjoy it. If you’ve done the work and put the time in and you feel comfortable with it, whatever the response is, you can’t control that but you can control how well prepared you are. If you’re well prepared you will enjoy yourself I think.
There’s a lot of attention on Mathew Horne and his character, Raymond, but really the story is about your character, Charlie’s journey, isn’t it?
Yeah, he goes on the biggest character evolution as it were and that’s really one of the main draws (of doing Rain Main) was to play someone who goes on this massive journey and has to discover himself. I mean, I’ve always seen him as a deeply unhappy person. At the beginning, when he’s constantly shouting at people and full of rage, very aggressive with everyone and very volatile, that all just comes from his background and a deep-rooted unhappiness.
One of the things I’ve been trying to get my head around is…..I mean you hear about people leaving home as a teenager and that’s not an easy thing to do for anybody, but if you come from - not that it’s about money - a fairly affluent background where you know that your old man, whether you get on with him or not, will pay for you to go to college and pay for you to do all of these things, it’s quite a big leap at 16, when you come from that sort of world to say, “I don’t want this anymore’. I was curious about that. He is great fun to play.
Well, you’ve left me an emotional wreck, it was such a good performance but you’re used to performing with some real stars from your time in Downton Abbey such as Dame Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton - what did you learn from them during that time?
I’ve been very lucky. The good thing about playing that role in Downton was that I was able to be both ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’. Upstairs I was stood there not doing a great deal but I had to be on high alert and listen. Just being in the same room as those sort of people, all you’ve got to do it watch intently and you’ll learn. I didn’t go to drama school and I feel that being in Downton Abbey, I learnt a lot from being around those sorts of actors.
You didn’t go to drama school?
I’ve wanted to be an actor since way back from when I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would have probably gone to drama school but I got a lucky break at 17 and was taken out of school to do a film and then it sort of went from there.
We look forward to seeing you in Southend.
My dad used to live in Essex for a long time so it’ll be nice to come back.
Yeah, he goes on the biggest character evolution as it were and that’s really one of the main draws (of doing Rain Main) was to play someone who goes on this massive journey and has to discover himself. I mean, I’ve always seen him as a deeply unhappy person. At the beginning, when he’s constantly shouting at people and full of rage, very aggressive with everyone and very volatile, that all just comes from his background and a deep-rooted unhappiness.
One of the things I’ve been trying to get my head around is…..I mean you hear about people leaving home as a teenager and that’s not an easy thing to do for anybody, but if you come from - not that it’s about money - a fairly affluent background where you know that your old man, whether you get on with him or not, will pay for you to go to college and pay for you to do all of these things, it’s quite a big leap at 16, when you come from that sort of world to say, “I don’t want this anymore’. I was curious about that. He is great fun to play.
Well, you’ve left me an emotional wreck, it was such a good performance but you’re used to performing with some real stars from your time in Downton Abbey such as Dame Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton - what did you learn from them during that time?
I’ve been very lucky. The good thing about playing that role in Downton was that I was able to be both ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’. Upstairs I was stood there not doing a great deal but I had to be on high alert and listen. Just being in the same room as those sort of people, all you’ve got to do it watch intently and you’ll learn. I didn’t go to drama school and I feel that being in Downton Abbey, I learnt a lot from being around those sorts of actors.
You didn’t go to drama school?
I’ve wanted to be an actor since way back from when I was about 7 or 8 years old and I would have probably gone to drama school but I got a lucky break at 17 and was taken out of school to do a film and then it sort of went from there.
We look forward to seeing you in Southend.
My dad used to live in Essex for a long time so it’ll be nice to come back.