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Review by Paul Nelson
FOR
almost three hours (there was a short intermission) Elaine Stritch
held her audience in the palm of her hand at the Old Vic with her solo
performance Elaine Stritch At Liberty.
The show is almost a travelogue. Written by John Lahr (the programme says
'constructed by' and is obviously based on her own reminiscences) it tells
the story of a starry eyed kid and her journey from nowhere to being a Broadway
star, and it pulls no punches.
If anybody did the dirt on Elaine, she publicly tells it, if they gave her
a hand, she publicly appreciates it, and if they gave her a shoulder to cry
on, or she gave them a shoulder to cry on, you have it.
It is an extraordinary performance.
Illustrated with songs, several of them not made famous by her, but which
illustrate a given point, such as 'This Is All Very New To Me' from
Plain and Fancy, a show which so far as I am aware, she had nothing
to do with, but a song which illustrates perfectly her first fascination with
booze. A major factor in her life.
Being on stage she finds intimidating and there has to be someone, or thing,
holding her hand. In her case, alcohol. She runs through a list of shows and
the corresponding brand of whatever helped her through it. It is a diverse
list.
There are many very amusing anecdotes, as you would expect. Hiding her drink
from producer Frederick Brisson (married to Rosalind Russell and dubbed 'The
Lizard of Roz'), first class champagne, what else, whilst appearing in Coward's
Sail Away, beers, vodkas, and one show which was so traumatic that
the craving was for 'anything I could lay my hands on'.
There is a brilliant tour-de-force in her description of understudying Ethel
Merman (who was never off) in Call Me Madam and at the same time getting
a job in a revival produced by Jule Styne and Richard Rodgers of Pal Joey.
The show was to open cold in Manhattan, so she would be able to check Merman
was in the theatre, and then nip across to appear in Pal Joey.
Rodgers decided the show was to have previews out of town. This would still
be okay; she would be able to make it to Connecticut for the second act in
which she appeared after checking in to see if Merman was in the theatre on
Broadway. Except for the blizzard. Listening to this series of close disasters
the audience was in tears of laughter.
And that about sums up the show. We laughed, we cheered her brilliant performances
of songs she has been associated with and some she hasn't, and at the end,
she naturally got a standing ovation.
Elaine Stritch is incomparable, and the audience did its bonkers thing. I
was thankful they were mostly a certain age, which appreciated politeness;
after all, it was the early Sixties when she conquered most of us in Sail
Away. There was no yapping like inmates from the Battersea Dogs Home,
just stamping, cheering and wild applause leading to the standing ovation.
All very civilised.
I think, looking back on one of the most exciting evenings in the theatre,
that probably Elaine Stritch enjoyed it more than anyone else.
Elaine Stritch At Liberty constructed by John Lahr, Reconstructed by Elaine
Stritch. Scenic design Riccardo Hernandez (UK Set & Costume Designer Andy
Edwards), Sound Design Matt McKenzie At Autograph, Lighting (based on the
original designs of Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer) Chris Ellis, Orchestrations
Jonathan Tunick, Music Direction Rob Bowman, Directed by George C Wolfe. Presented
by Old Vic Productions plc, Mark Goucher Limited
