A Dish Of Tea With Dr Johnson

A Dish Of Tea With Dr Johnson is not a great play. Nor, I think, does it claim to be one. But Out of Joint’s production is a delightful entertainment. Samuel ‘Dictionary’ Johnson is, was, a legendary wit. As such, he makes the perfect subject for a performance which, in Ian Redford’s muscular and full-blooded portrayal, gives us many of his noted aphorisms, as well as a few new ones to brighten up our afternoon.

He had something to say about almost everyone and everything. So I might as well tell you what he said about critics: “…a species of dung beetle. A fellow who makes himself fat upon other men’s droppings.” I agree. Actually, I’m getting fatter.

The performance I saw was, if anything, enlivened by the fact that Russell Barr, playing Johnson’s famous sidekick Boswell, was sadly absent ill. This allowed the excellent David Beames and Andrew Byatt to read in for him, and the associate director, Des Kennedy, to bring on props and lead the newbies about the stage at pregnant moments. I did miss Russell’s dog Katie, though, in her accustomed role of Johnson’s cat, Hodge. It seems she won’t go on without her master present. A canine diva, no less; surely a first.

We all knew that Johnson was a great wit and humanitarian. We may not have realised that Trudie Styler would make such an impressive fist of his consort, Mrs Thrale. And so we depart diverted, a little moved and with a first hand impression of how this great man’s company so enriched the lives of those who were lucky enough to know him.