Quartermaine’s Terms

All eyes were inevitably on Rowan Atkinson as he returned to the stage in what at heart is a very serious play. It has laughs for sure but at the heart this is a bleak tale of loneliness and emotional tension. Atkinson as the ineffectual but lovable Quartermaine is excellent, perhaps a little quiet but without a doubt he plays the role sensitively and well, which is a good thing as the rest of the company are so accomplished. Conleth Hill is sensational as Henry, the golden boy with the less than golden life, the sexual chemistry between him and Felicity Montagu as Melanie is scarily tangible and her gradual decline and breakdown is utterly convincing and distressing. Will Keen plays accident prone Derek without ever resorting to base slapstick, and it works well. Matthew Cottle’s Mark is both sympathetic and pathetic and again played with excellent reserve, and Louise Ford’s Anita is the most fragile of creatures, beautifully played. Malcolm Sinclair captures Eddie the joint head of the flailing English Language school with ease. It is an accomplished performance relying on theatrical skills rather that tricks and all the better for that. His is the only really successful love story in the script, it is superbly well executed. Of course much of this must also be credited to Richard Eyre who directs with a sure but gentle hand and to Simon Gray for an extraordinary script. Tim Hatley’s excellent realist set adds the right tone and is beautifully built, a solid edifice in which to house this solid work. A real theatrical treat from a company, on and off the stage, who know exactly what they are doing.

Theatre Royal Brighton, 8 January 2013

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