(L to R) Caroline Quentin as Mrs Malaprop, Peter Forbes as Anthony Absolute, Laurie Davidson as Jack Absolute and Natalie Simpson as Lydia Languish
[Brinkhoff-Moegenburg]
HENRY BELL is fascinated by the underlying curiosities and contradictions of one of the great poets of the Mediterranean
DAVID RENTON recommends a books that explores the ways in which disabled people are made to feel both of and not part of this world
JONATHAN TAYLOR is fascinated by the philosophical problems that permeate the art of life-writing
GORDON PARSONS steps warily in between the lines of Britain’s most famous diarist
SIMON DUFF recommends a recording of Arvo Part that takes the listener on a pilgrimage through seemingly distant times and events of the Bible
Jack Absolute Flies Again
National Theatre
RICHARD BEAN and Oliver Chris’s brilliant reworking of Sheridan’s Rivals cleverly moves the location from 18th-century Bath to a 1940s country estate billeted by an RAF squadron.
GORDON PARSONS is blown away by a superb production of Rostand’s comedy of verbal panache and swordmanship
MAYER WAKEFIELD is gripped by a production dives rapidly from champagne-quaffing slick to fraying motormouth
In this production of David Mamet’s play, MARY CONWAY misses the essence of cruelty that is at the heart of the American deal
