So it’s been nearly a week since our exhausting “two shows and an ordination” day and I’ve only just found the time to write about the second show. I’ll pick up where I left off, which was us leaving Southwark Playhouse and considering our next move in the unglamourous surrounds of Elephant and Castle in the rain. My top priority was getting some dinner in before the evening show and VK suggested a trip to Honest Burger. So we waited for the 176 bus for a while to take us to Covent Garden but then I changed my mind and we instead hopped on a 68 to go to the branch in the Southbank Centre. My flawless logic was that it was bigger than the Covent Garden branch and so we were less likely to be queuing in the rain.
That logic did not logic. After briefly getting confused with people who might be gatecrashing the BAFTAs, we became people who were, in fact, queuing in the rain.
I did consider changing plan again and actually gatecrashing the BAFTAs but David Tennant wasn’t presenting this year, so it barely seemed worth it. Instead, we hung around for 15 minutes or so and were eventually admitted.
Honest Burger is always good food and quick so we know what to expect and it was exactly what we needed. We probably took it a bit too fast but we were painfully aware that other people were now waiting for our table and we had a show to get to.
Not that it would take long to get there. Part of the genius of the Southbank plan was that we could just walk straight over the Golden Jubilee Bridge afterwards and it would bring us out exactly where we needed to be. I remembered that there was only a lift on the northern side of the river for the bridge closest to the London Eye and so we went down the slope towards the carousel, found the lift and crossed the river that way. VK is still struggling with stairs, post injury so this seemed sensible. I forgot that she also struggles with bridges but hey, we’d cross that bridge when we came to it.
(I apologise, that was Reuben levels of groanability)
I maintain it was a good route, even in the drizzle. You can’t beat this view, can you?
It was such a good route that we were actually about 45 minutes early for the show. See, I told you we didn’t need to eat so fast. VK was exhausted after speeding over the bridge as fast as her crutch could manage so we sat down for a moment on these giant marbles on Villiers Street:
And with still quite a long time to go before the doors opened, we went to the Charing Cross Theatre bar and kinda hovered awkwardly with drinks and nowhere particular to put them down. I was glad when we could go through, even if it meant VK having to do a flight of stairs downwards. Apparently she can find the motivation when there’s theatre involved….not so much for her French lesson.
If you’re not familiar with this play, let me enlighten you. It’s a two-hander about Mary Lincoln and her photographer, Mathew Brady. It stars Keala Settle, Hal Fowler and…no one else. That’s what a two-hander is. It’s not to be confused with “Oh Mary”, which is the other Mary Lincoln play currently on in the West End. That other play is a touch more….frivolous than this one I think. There’s nothing frivolous about “Mrs President” and fans of Keala’s singing will be disappointed to know that it is strictly non-musical.
The play tracks the Lincoln/Brady interactions throughout her time in Washington, starting with Mrs President in a large pink dress and ending in her mourning black. I don’t think I need to worry about spoilers do I? Things don’t go well for the Lincoln family. Over the course of the play she loses first her son and then her husband and starts to feel as if she’s also losing her mind. It delves deep into the psychological trauma of so much loss so quickly (she also refers to another son who died before the play starts) and it feels intense, verging on harrowing. I had to keep reminding myself that this was entertainment.
The kids LOVED it by the way. Maybe misery and trauma appeal to dramatic youths. That’s what happens when you let them read Victor Hugo.
There are certainly some powerful performances. Keala’s descent into torment is sensitively done and she visibly strives to hold on to her sanity while also carrying burdens that would break even the strongest person. Hal Fowler is unlikeable as Brady and, again, that’s a testament to his acting ability. Both the kids commented how great an actor someone must be when they get you to really hate a character. Brady tortures and gaslights Mary in the name of his art and Hal Fowler really gave the character a spiteful, narcissistic edge that ramped up the tension immeasurably. However, it’s not like Mary is always a likeable character – she too has hints of narcissism and self-centeredness and it’s sometimes hard to know who to root for.
Was this a relaxing experience? No. After the heartbreak of “Ballad Lines” we possibly should have gone for something fun and fluffy in the evening but, as I explained in the last post, that is not how the booking process worked. This was visceral at times and there were some jump scares that made VK physically flinch in the seat next to me. Something bad happens to a bird, although I think it was dead to start with, to be fair. And there are references to child death, executions, slavery and insanity. It is not a light watch.
But was it enjoyable? Yeah, I think so, kinda. The kids thought so. I felt on edge the whole time but was drawn into the story so wanted to know how it would all resolve. The lighting and set design were great – I spent quite some time wondering how a solid panel of scenery could become transparent and I never did work it out. The costumes were fabulous and, I’d hope, era-accurate. I might have to check in with a colleague on that one. So there were many positive elements but the script needs to work hard when it’s 90 minutes of two people talking and there were times when it felt a little repetitive. As in, we had been over these themes or stories already and how ,much more was there to say?
A dance number would have helped.
I think though, that I probably have quite low brow tastes and don’t often engage with the more challenging end of theatre. So this was that more challenging, dark piece that I know some theatre goers would love. Others might be triggered by the constant trauma and grief. It’s lacking in warmth and while the two leads spark off each other, there isn’t a lot of dialogue that feels like the way humans normally talk to each other. I think I just find it hard to watch psychological torture…but I think I’m OK with that.
The piece could do with being a touch shorter, just to take out some of the repetition and up the pace but there’s no faulting the talent on show here. Both leads are remarkable – Keala’s deep well of emotions is so raw and, towards the end, it absolutely just rips out of her. Hal Fowler is nimble and switches character to impersonate his photographed subjects, as well as playing the photographer himself. He never steps into pantomime villain but has the audience constantly tense, waiting to see what his next move will be.
In conclusion then, not a comforting watch but an interesting one. If you enjoy having your pulse and blood pressure raised, go check it out. In such a small space, it is a very intense experience as well – we were in the second row and it was remarkable to be so close to the action. But if you’re after something heartwarming, maybe try and get seats to “Paddington” instead.
“Mrs President” runs until 8th March. For tickets and more info, click here
