Review: Last Tango at St. Leonards

Set amongst the middle management of the fictional St. Leonard’s hospital, the play focuses on a juxtaposition of class and a funny yet touching examination of the coalition’s chaotic NHS […]


Set amongst the middle management of the fictional St. Leonard’s hospital, the play focuses on a juxtaposition of class and a funny yet touching examination of the coalition’s chaotic NHS budget cuts.

Satirical theatre can be tricky to pull off without appearing self-righteous and losing sight of the whole ‘entertainment’ aspect of a play, and has to really hit the mark to be anything less than forgettable. Fortunately thanks to the efforts of an impressive young cast and director, Mari Lloyd’s Last Tango at St. Leonards manages to avoid such pitfalls.

The Write Now Festival advertises itself as being centered on the writing and directing of its plays and Last Tango is the perfect production to exhibit such elements, with director Lydia Searle managing to maintain a well-paced and entertaining display of Lloyd’s writing, whilst holding onto the complex interpersonal relationships of the script.

The actors themselves are also deserving of credit. Despite the youth of the cast the fact they’re each playing characters over 35 (some written as being well into middle age) is soon forgotten by virtue of their talent and on stage chemistry.

Outstanding amongst the cast is leading man Thomas Casson. His character Eddie is a physical embodiment of the insincerity and haplessness of the coalition in the face of pressure, oblivious to the plight of his patients yet obsessed with sanitising his hands.

Despite this Eddie is as much a victim of circumstance as those menial ex-workers he no longer remembers, and Casson ultimately manages to portray Eddie as a likable, if laughable human being.

The chemistry of the cast is also exceptional. The play puts five very different people in a room together, and much of the plot rests on the nature of their interactions.

Particularly notable is the common ground found between publicly educated Malcolm (played by Philip Barwood-Scott) and convict/IT man Joshua (Darren Pritchard), in their comparison of boarding school and prison.

Last Tango at St. Leonard’s is a fine example both of modern satire and of theatrical ability on all parts, and through a delicate mixture of social commentary and subtle wit those involved are sure to go from strength to strength.

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