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The Art of Concealment is almost very good because the play portrayed both the outer facade of suave affableness with which Rattigan faced the world, but also revealed tantalising glimpses of the troubled man behind the mask. The use of a ‘younger’ and ‘older’ Rattigan contextualising, and often analysing, the episodes in his life worked well, though it did detract from the ability of the audience to judge the playwright themselves. However I felt there to be something lacking from the play, in which Robert Rowe shone, as a whole though. The voyeuristic peeks behind the mask left me wanting more, but the play ran scared never fully allowing the viewer in, much like Rattigan himself.

Iambic Arts Theatre, 18 May
Rating:
Ben Scott

Divine decadence darlings. The Royal Pavilion Music Room is the perfect setting for chamber music.

This was a dazzling programme, kicking off with Mozart’s glorious Fantasia in F minor K608 and concluding with the quirky simplicity of of Francaix’ Wind Quintet no 1 (that’s if you don’t count the two unexpected encores). Reicha’s adventurous Wind Quintet in B flat and a playful rendition of Ligeti’s Six Bagatelles completed a perfectly pitched programme.

The enormously accomplished Quintet were a joy: controlled, elegant and formal but also deliciously light and expressive, an evening as delightfully textured as its setting. Exquisite.

Music Room, Royal Pavilion, 17 May
Rating:
Candy MacNamara

The title (some landlord should run with that) of this energetic slapstick/satirical comedy theatre is a huge clue as to the contents of this play; on the surface about relationships of course, but above all about the underlying world of secrets, lies and dodgy morals that they inhabit. Set in a South-West pub in the mid-70s, a period of particularly garish clothes, ridiculous hairstyles and laughable dance moves, it’s a tall story about the unexpected death of down-and-out Spider and the bequeathing, to one of this motley crew, of something from his will. With a few rough edges likely to be ironed out during the course of the run, this consistently funny play (with an excellent period-detail stage set) really caught fire in the second half thanks in particular to the comedy turns of James Bond obsessive Barry (the landlord) and deluded Brummie rogue Vince.

Tudor Room, The Barcelo Ship Hotel, 18 May (runs until 28 May)
Rating:
Jeff Hemmings

The older I get the younger performers, and policemen, seem. The good news is that these four brilliantly talented young women will be around for many years to come. They play with such skill and passion and drive. The Mendlesshohn is lusciously rich, operatic in its scale and this they delivered with both gravitas and a lightness of touch when needed. The Ravel was far more ethereal, hauntingly beautiful and despite having fewer hummable tunes than the first, it will stay with me far longer. The audience listened in total silence, hardly a cough or a sniffle to interrupt such superb playing.

Pavilion Theatre, Brighton Dome, 17 May
Rating:
Andrew Kay