Redlands
Chichester Festival Theatre
until Fri 18 Oct
Closing Justin Audibert’s first festival season as Chichester’s Artistic Director is a new play Redlands by Charlotte Jones. The themes running through this season have been the journey of the outsider and lesser-known stories from history and what better way to finish than with this inspired account of the Rolling Stones infamous drug bust in 1967. A local story too with the police targeting Keith Richard’s property Redlands in nearby West Wittering.
Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull are enjoying a bohemian night in with their friends in Richards’ thatched farmhouse when the local constabulary swoop, with Richards and Jagger being charged with drug offences. Leading defence lawyer Michael Havers, a future Attorney General, is thought to be the only man who can successfully defend them but in so doing this highlights the poor relationship he has with his own son Nigel, an aspiring actor, often treating him more as a ‘hostile witness’ than his child!
A versatile set design by Joanna Scotcher allows for various settings including a stage and court room, while Ryan Dawson Laight’s fabulous costumes recall the colourful and flamboyant outfits favoured by the young rock duo. Justin directs this fictional account with the production being peppered throughout with songs from the late 60’s and powerfully delivered by these talented young stars culminating with the great Jumpin Jack Flash. An accomplished cast, made up from both seasoned actors alongside some just fresh out of drama school making their professional debuts, bring the energised drama to life.
Versatile Adam Young shines playing his multi minor roles as does Louis Landau who takes on the position of the charming teenage Nigel Havers. Emer McDaid excels in her look-alike rendition of Marianne Faithfull’s vocal proficiency. Talented musician/actor Brenock O’Connor takes the part of Keith Richards in impressive style but for me the stand out performances of the show are Anthony Calf, charismatic Clive Francis and newcomer Jasper Talbot. Calf totally encompasses the ‘stuffed shirt’ image of the successful lawyer Michael Havers to perfection and then switches effortlessly to his newly enlightened image. Francis was eminently watchable taking the part of Havers’ more tolerant and charitable father. However, young Jasper Talbot’s characterisation was flawless while masquerading the cavorting, gyrating moves of the legendary Mick Jagger.
Thoroughly entertaining and a fabulous finale to end this highly successful season not only maximising the theatricality of this particular stage but with a world premiere of a local event recalling the moment counter culture took on the establishment and played out on the national stage!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reviewer: Jill Lawrie
Photo: Ikin Yum