Review | Summer 1954 – The Theatre Royal, Bath

The Double Bill of One Act plays is an intricate and glorious depiction of social class and values in 1954; regardless of personal opinion, Rattigan begs for an open society with acceptance of the world he lived in.

Sian Phillips as Mrs Railton-Bell and Alexandra Dowling as Sybil Railton-Bell | Photo © Manuel Harlan

Table Number Seven and The Browning Version are paired for the first time and they make excellent partners. Both examine a man whose world is on the verge of collapse.

Nathaniel Parker takes on both these roles, bringing a strong central performance to both.

Table Number Seven is set in a boarding house in Bournemouth. The initial chat turns to vindictive opinions as the Major is arrested for “importuning men” late at night on the pier.

Originally this piece of plot was replaced with him harassing women as the simple fact of homosexuality could not be discussed. Rattigan wrote the ending in use in the production but is unlikely to have ever seen it performed.

The boarding house guests are a mixed bunch but Sian Phillips as the highly opinionated Mrs Railton-Bell is spellbinding. As is her passive-aggressive control of her daughter Sybil played by Alexandra Dowling.

Sybil and Major are both outsiders in this world, for very different reasons but they find solace and strength in each other.

The Browning Version is equally well cast with Lolita Chakrabarti as Millie Crocker-Harris alongside Nathaniel Parker as Andrew Crocker-Harris.

He has failed to reach the dizzy heights of leadership in the boarding school. He is constantly overlooked and is resigned to his career failing.

Millie is openly disappointed and frustrated with his ill health; she is sexually and socially frustrated with her role in life and the tensions are evident. Both these characterisations are full of subtlety and subtext.

Andrew’s realisation that his illness is far more based than physical and the gift of a book by pupils allows him the path to follow.

James Dacre directs with great precision, whilst the design by Mike Britton gives great flexibility to the staging and suffocating environments the characters inhabit.

Rattigan seemed to get lost in the flurry of the angry young playwrights who emerged with their kitchen sink dramas.

Rattigan may feel like a museum piece but it is a vital bridge in British Theatre that is handled with great care and commitment by this stellar company.
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Reviewer: Petra Schofield