The Governess Richmond Theatre Review
The Governess
Richmond Theatre
by Patrick Hamilton. Directed by Roy Marsden
10 – 15 June 2013
Reviewed by Sarah Banbury
The Governess is a recently rediscovered play by the playwright Patrick Hamilton, more famously known for The Gaslight, later made into a Hitchcock film and also featuring the character of Inspector Rough. The play is set in 1860 in the family home of a wealthy business man, George Drew. It becomes clear very quickly, that something is wrong in the house and the disappearance of Drew’s youngest child ‘Baby’ reveals the deceptive and manipulative nature of the Governess, Miss Fry.
Miss Fry is played by Jenny Seagrove, probably best known for her TV role as barrister Jo Mills in Judge John Deed. She plays a woman of indeterminable age, engaged as govereness to Drew’s middle child, Ellen (Lydia Orange) a girl prone to sleep walking and fanciful dreams as she is often reminded. We see her interact with the other household members in the first act before the abduction of Baby makes everyone reassess their relationships and place in the house. The arrival of Inspector Rough furthers the disintegration of the Drew household and eventually we learn the truth. Rough is played by Peter Bowles, (To the Manor Born, Rumpole of the Bailey) and has some brilliant, if a little quiet, lines to counteract the loud bravado of Drew played by Colin Buchanan (Dalziel and Pascoe). To complete the crime drama line up, the play is directed by Roy Marsden, who as well as being an experienced theatre director, for many is best known for playing PD James’ Detective Inspector Dalgleish on the small screen.
The Governess is not a light-hearted family entertainment piece, exploring as it does the nature of mental illness and criminality. The apparent lack of any concern when Baby is discovered missing for example, is to us, at first thought, shockingly cold and uncaring, yet with numbers of domestic staff involved in his care and a different view of society, it merely reflects the disbelief that Mrs Drew has that anyone would take a baby. If you like serious, thought provoking drama performed by a talented cast then this is a play for you.
Richmond Theatre is situated on the Green in Richmond upon Thames and easily served by local buses and the underground and rail services at the station a few minutes’ walk away. Car Parking is the same distance in the opposite direction at the Deer Park and is free after 6.30pm. Disabled parking is available on the street nearer the Theatre. Our seats in the stalls had a clear view of the whole stage and the elaborate, gilded surround of the stage and private boxes. My seat was above an air vent and I felt a little cold during the first act. The lady in front of me mentioned it to a member of staff during the interval who offered to move them but also spoke to the maintenance crew and got the ventilation turned down slightly for our benefit. Show tickets range from £11.90 to £37.90 depending on your seats and compared to the price of a cinema ticket I feel represent good value for money. The Governess runs here until Saturday 15thJune, when there is also a matinee performance.
Rating: 4.5/5
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