Review - Loot
February 4, 2009
Date Reviewed: 3rd Feb, 2009
Venue: Theatre Royal, Newcastle
First of all whoever made the decision and commitment for the new revival of Joe Orton’s 60s hit LOOT to play the Theatre Royal, Newcastle as its only date outside London should be congratulated. They have given us the opportunity to see David Haig’s brilliant performance as Truscott in a play that I am not entirely sure deserves a revival.
This Tricycle Theatre production has the added advantage of starring current TV heartthrob Matt Di Angelo (Eastenders, Hustle and Strictly Come Dancing) as the bisexual bad boy son Hal. This casting alone guarantees bums on seats as the packed audience identified. However, I did wonder if the younger female members of the audience would have even heard of Orton, as they were obviously there to see Di Angelo.
The play opens with recently widowed McCleavy (James Hayes) preparing for his wife’s funeral, assisted by nurse Fay (Doon Mackichan). The body is clearly visible in the coffin.
When son Hal (Di Angelo) arrives home we quickly find out that he and his friend Dennis (Javone Prince) have been involved in a bank robbery. The bank in question is next to the undertakers which Dennis works for and by no co-incidence, it just happens to be Dennis who is in charge of the funeral.
When Inspector Truscott arrives on the scene there is only one thing the boys can do, move the body and hide the money in the coffin. This leaves the boys hiding the body around the house until they can dispose of it later. But they had not planned on the coffin returning following an accident on the way to the funeral.
When Truscott arrives the play shifts gear and moves from the dated 60s piece to a worthy comedy and that alone is down to David Haig’s performance. He captures the persona of Truscott perfectly making each gesture count and you cannot help but follow his every move. Best known for Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Thin Blue Line and creating the role of Mr Banks in the stage version of Mary Poppins, this is Haig’s play, he literally acts the rest of the cast off the stage.
While all the cast are perfectly suited to their roles, it is Haig alone that makes this watchable and when he is off stage you are left willing him to return so the pace will quicken once again. Director Sean Holmes has certainly got the best from Haig, but by doing so leaves the time when he is off stage seem so flat by comparison that the end result is very uneven.
Although this play has a running time of well under two hours, including an interval, it did feel longer. However all is forgiven when Haig is on stage as his must be one of the performances of the year and its only just February.
John Dixon
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