Less Than Kind, more than ordinary

Everybody, it seems, loves Terrence Rattigan at the moment – or Terry, as the people who sat next to me during the Jermyn Street Theatre’s production of Less Than Kind, insisted on calling him. Last summer, After The Dance at the National Theatre paved the way for Terry’s centenary year in 2011 and the Old Vic is bringing their rendition of Cause Célèbre to the stage in March – be sure to watch this page for details. And whilst the latter two sought to add clout by drafting in big names, the Jermyn Street Theatre (JST) has taken a different approach entirely. Rather than trawl ES Magazine for glossy faces, it seems they’ve been venturing into the archives.

This is Less Than Kind’s maiden performance. Despite being written during the war years, Rattigan’s own lack of self-belief and the capricious world of show business meant it was worked and reworked and then finally left for dead – only one copy remained, saved in a license office. And JST must be commended for their efforts. Whilst they might not have uncovered a gem, they’ve certainly found a keeper.

The story centres on Olivia, an attractive yet simple-minded widow, as she tries to reconcile her forthright, left-wing son and her wealthy paramour, a cabinet minister briefed in tank production. The scene opens on an apparently blissful familial scene, but gradually we see the seams in the patchwork quilt of life appearing. Sir John Fletcher, the lover, and Michael, the son, tug the fabric to breaking point, until the woman is forced to decide between son and lover.

A struggle ensues between the men, with ploys aplenty, in a scenario that at times has echoes of Hamlet. Despite this, the setting is distinctly British and inescapably 1940’s – it’s all hard times, dried egg omelettes, evenings at the pictures and knowing your place.

This may all seem very plain vanilla, but Rattigan injects into his pieces a distilled essence of normality – turns of phrase, idioms and idiosyncracies – that makes all the proceedings very real. The notions of stiff upper lip and female sacrifice are delicately touched upon. “I love how you turn everything into a joke, I wish I could do that,” says the bouncy and blunt Michael to his mother with a smile, as one sees ever more clearly the painful necessity of her own smile in the face of grim situations.

Adrian Brown’s production is a very solid piece of theatre, well staged and neatly cast. Whilst at first the piece lacked vigor, any first act qualms were well allayed by the final curtain. Sara Crowe pitches the character of Olivia well, and makes the comic lines her own. Michael Simkins brings his role as Sir John Fletcher a gravitas and authority than contrasts perfectly with the boyish cockiness of David Osmond as Michael.

Less Than Kind, in truth, has all the ingredients to be a run of the mill piece of theatre, but strangely, I must confess, I really enjoyed it. Surveying the crowd, waiting for the lights to dim and seeing that your presence probably brings the audience age down a decade never bodes well. But by the end, I found myself in its the fabric, being tugged to and fro by the characters’ conflicts, and cheered throughout by Rattigan’s polished one-liners and endearing characters. Good, traditional theatre.

Jermyn Street Theatre until 12th Feb.