Review: MAN AND BOY at National Theatre (Dorfman)

Rattigan’s MAN AND BOY isn’t considered among his finest plays. Indeed, reviews for the original 1963 production at the Queens Theatre starring Charles Boyer were far from enthusiastic, and the Broadway run, which followed, lasted less than two months. Perhaps things might have been different with Rex Harrison in the lead (as Rattigan had hoped would be the case when he wrote the play). Basing his central protagonist on a blend of the Anglo-US Investor Samuel Insull and the man known as The Swedish Match King, Ivar Krueger, Antonescu is far from a sympathetic character and exceedingly difficult to like. Particularly as he will do, and sacrifice, anything to save his business empire, irrespective of the cost to others.

Now, London’s National Theatre has handed Anthony Lau the reins and assigned him the Dorfman space for this revival, which is delivered on a spartan set by Georgia Lowe, which is distinguished by being both underwhelming and curiously amusing in places. A green baize floor and a few modern office tables get shunted about and leapt upon, whilst to one side, an upright piano serves as somewhere to prop the whiskey and gin bottles and a radio, which are integral to the dialogue. Most impressive is the giant hoarding mounted high above the audience’s heads, which in Broadway font declaims the character names and those of the actors playing them, which become illuminated as they appear in each scene. It’s a touch theatrical and amusingly tongue-in-cheek.

Phoebe Campbell and Laurie Kynaston in Man and Boy at the National Theatre. Photo by Manuel Harlan

Ben Daniels, whose performance in the lead role comes complete with a charming Bucharest lilt, demonstrates an Alpha Male’s ownership of the space despite all scenes being played out in his estranged son’s dour Greenwich Village basement apartment. Laurie Kynaston plays Vassily Antonescu, who, 5 years earlier, had such a bust-up with his monstrously rich father, that he disowned him and anglicised his name to Basil Anthony. We learn that he ekes out a living as a pianist at a club/bar on 12th Street and his girlfriend Carol Penn (Phoebe Campbell – channelling Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday) loves him but instinctively knows he doesn’t love himself. When Dad comes looking for somewhere to hole-up while the journalistic vultures circle overhead, it gives everyone an opportunity to pick at scabs and reevaluate their feelings and opinions of each other, but it is only very late in proceedings that father and son tinkle the ivories together, stumbling over a long forgotten tune to tug at our heartstrings.

The most appalling moment in proceedings (in the age of ubiquitous Epstein revulsion) comes as Antonescu’s trusted sidekick Sven Johnson (Nick Fletcher) organises a meeting between his master and Mark Herries (Malcolm Sinclair) the head of the other company in the failed merger, which is causing such stock market panic. Knowing him to be a secret homosexual, Antonescu proffers his unwitting son as a companion in a devious attempt to find rapport and reopen negotiations. The act is all the more disgusting when Basil realises what is afoot but feels compelled to play along to curry favour with his father, whom he loathes but cannot help wishing to please. As the drowning man clings to and attempts to make use of anyone remaining in his orbit, including his wife (Isabella Laughland – who, like Daniels, also appeared in Apple TV’s sci-fi drama Foundation), Antonescu’s mantra Love is a commodity I cannot afford finally comes home to roost.

MAN AND BOY plays 2 hours and 25 mins (including interval) and continues at the Dorfman until 14^th March.