Reader Reviews
The Last of the Duchess (Hampstead Theatre, Inner London)
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 | Everything about The Last of the Duchess radiates the highest quality: writing, direction, acting, set design; the only surprise is that it is being staged at Hampstead rather than the Lyttelton as it has all the best characteristics of a National Theatre production. Nicholas Wright's tale of an aristocratic journalist's attempts to write a story about the ailing Duchess of Windsor who is fiercely protected by her snobbish lawyer crackles with wit but also resonates with our unhealthy obsession with celebrity and has some very topical things to say about press standards. Somewhat surprisingly, given her reputation, Wright portrays an unusually sympathetic Suzanne Blum, suggesting that, far from exploiting the Duchess, she fought to prevent the truth about her drinking, money and health problems becoming public knowledge. Sheila Hancock is best known for comic roles but she is wonderful as Blum, although I wasn't genuinely chilled by her threat to have the journalist killed. Anna Chancellor is superb as the dishevelled Lady Caroline, a borderline alcoholic like the Duchess, and there is excellent support from Angela Thorne as Diana Moseley, effortlessly charming despite maintaining her odious politics, and John Heffernan as Michael Bloch protecting his beloved Blum as much as she protects and loves the Duchess. This is one of the best new plays of the year and deserves to be seen by a far wider audience than is possible at the Hampstead. - David Baxter | 24 Nov 11 |
| nothing happens. anna chancellor and john heffernan act a lot to try to keep things moving - fred | 29 Oct 11 |
| It’s surprising how much you learn about Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, from a play in which she’s a character who remains offstage. Nicholas Wright cleverly tells the story through her two biographers – Caroline Blackwood and Diana Mosley – and her lawyer & assistant. The play takes place in the Duchess’ Paris home late in her life when she is a recluse guarded by the somewhat imposing lawyer / advisor / friend Maitre Suzanne Blum. Lady Caroline Blackwood is trying to get an interview with the Duchess for a Sunday supplement, dangling the carrot of a Snowden photo shoot. In the end, she opts for an interview with the secretive but fascinating Blum herself. The play happens before she writes her biography of the Duchess; indeed the events the play focuses on may have inspired her to write it. The characters and the play speculate on the relationship. Is she just a gatekeeper? Is she ripping off the Duchess by selling her possessions? Is she just an up-market groupie? Is she in love with her? The rip off theory seems to be dismissed by Lady Diana’s investigations and interrogations (she’s already written her biography) but the rest is left ambiguous. I’ve seen some stunning performances in the last two weeks – Mark Rylance in Jerusalem, Douglas Hodge in Inadmissable Evidence and Tasmin Greig in Jumpy – and Sheila Hancock here as Maitre Blum is another one. With a very authentic sounding French accent, her performance is very nuanced and subtle. Anna Chancellor had less than two weeks between coming off the Minerva Chichester stage (well, floor actually) and her first performance here. I loved her in the first act, but felt she pushed it too far in the second. John Heffernan’s transition from mere assistant to protector was well played and Angela Thorne’s cameo as Lady Diana Mosley was terrific (though she did have some great lines, including some lovely references to her Nazi sympathies). Lord Snowden is another character who remains offstage. Anthony Ward’s opulent Parisian drawing-room is perfect for both period and station and Richard Eyre’s direction as sensitive as always. I’m not sure its a great play - I suspect I won’t remember it as long as Wright’s best play, Vincent in Brixton – but it’s well worth seeing, for Sheila Hancock’s performance if nothing else. - Gareth James | 28 Oct 11 |
| Full of intrigue and suspense, this had me at the edge of my seat. Chancellor and Hancock absolutely brilliant and spellbinding. - Dee | 27 Oct 11 |
| Creaky and old fashioned. Dikie Eyre is getting as tedious as that other old duffer Nunn. Duckface good but the other star names struggle with the turgid script. Old folks only. - Coral | 27 Oct 11 |
