From Hustler then to Hustler now

Any production of Cool Hand Luke is going to be compared with the 1967 Paul Newman film. It perhaps shouldn’t be this way but it can’t be helped. I would love to treat it as just another play but it is truly in the shadow of an icon. So when casting the leading man, you’re in for a tough job from the start. A quiet but confident leader of men with a hint of cheekiness and swagger coming out of his arse. Enter Marc Warren.

This guy rose to fame as the suave but cocky Danny Blue in Hustle and he’s a large reason why the show was such a success. He is a brilliant actor and since then he has even managed to convince Virgin TV to adopt his bravado. But I’ve never seen him on stage before and was a bit apprehensive as he’s known for his incredibly expressive eyes, something that will only come across on film. I was disappointed to find out that my initial fears were somewhat correct. On paper he should be great. He does ‘play it cool’ all the time, but somehow it’s just a bit flat. He lacks a certain cheekiness or twinkle that makes the audience invest in the character. This mixed with surprisingly poor stage fighting and general effects (for instance no sign of blood when someone gets shot) makes the eventual climax kind of a bit empty.

Having said this there are redeeming features that make it watchable. Lee Boardman’s performance as Dragline (Luke’s best friend) is awesome. He paces a mixture of comedy and sincerity perfectly throughout the play and to be honest steals the show because of it. The set design was also fantastic with slick changes adding to the atmosphere.

In summary, it’s not the best thing you’ll ever see but is definitely watchable. It holds your attention for its short running time of about 1 hour 40 minutes but won’t stay with you for any longer than that. It was an impossible act to follow the film, and it was a valiant effort.

Cool Hand Luke runs at Aldwych Theater until November 19