Reader Reviews
Rattigan's Nijinsky (Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | This late career screenplay about the life of dancer Nijinsky was never produced by the BBC, apparently because of objections from his wife. Unstageable in its written form, Nicholas Wright has created a play both about it and from it. We’re in Rattigan’s Claridges suite shortly after his arrival from his Bermuda home, here to finalise the production of his screenplay. He gets visits from the man at the BBC and Nijinsky’s wife Romola, but the play is mostly imagined scenes from the screenplay / life of Nijinsky played out in front of us. It was a fascinating life, so it’s a fascinating story. The idea of the structure is better than the result, though, and it felt a bit clumsy – ‘now lets show the audition of Nijinsky as child’, ‘lets move to where he begins hid relationship with Diaghilev’, ‘OK, time for the journey to Buenos Aires’. Interesting story, but a play that ultimately doesn’t work. Again, the design by Mike Britton and Philip Franks’ staging are fine and it suits the big space better than The Deep Blue Sea. Malcolm Sinclair as Rattigan and Jonathan Hyde as Diaghilev are very good and there’s good support from a large cast, most playing two or three roles. Susan Tracy gives fine cameos as Romola Nijinsky and Rattigan’s mother. - Gareth James | 12 Aug 11 |
| Fascinating insight into Rattigan's later years and into the Diaghilev/Nijinsky/Romola triangle. Excellent performances, especially Malcolm Sinclair, surely one of the best actors on the English stage right now, who makes a very convincing and moving Rattigan. - PeterGMo | 05 Aug 11 |
