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The Review - THEATRE by JOHN O' CONNOR
Published: 31 July 2009

James Graeme as ‘Papa’ Hemingway

Musical longings of ‘Papa’ Hemingway

TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN
Comedy theatre

“AS welcome as a scorpion in a salad bar!” exclaims Ernest – the main protagonist in John Robinson’s (music) and Roberto Trippini’s (libretto) production of the last days of American Nobel prize winner Ernest Hemingway.
The same could be said of this much-maligned musical and its introduction into London’s West End.
Perhaps the subject matter of a famous author’s last days before his apparent suicide is not most people’s idea of a good night out – but then there was Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Unfortunately, this is no Stephen Sondheim vessel and was certainly springing leaks at last sighting.
The title of this piece, with its Greek mythological references, are never fully developed – only the odd, rather shallow comment by our doomed hero (James Graeme) regarding “dogs chasing cars but not being able to drive them”.
And hadn’t the worldly Ernie heard of Spanish Fly?
It is set in the author’s Idaho ranch in 1961 where he and his wife Mary (Helen Dallimore) are entertaining Rex (Jay Benedict), a fictional Hollywood producer who is trying to persuade “Ernesto” to agree to the making of a movie about our hero’s exciting life. However, “Ernesto” is more interested in his young secretary Louella (Tammy Joelle) than prostituting himself to Tinseltown.
I can only see this musical surviving because of (like O’Toole’s Scottish play, Macbeth) its “awfulness”: punters were actually getting off their seats in O’Toole’s production and giving the great thespian “the bird”, which would be a pity in this production because the cast do work hard with what they’ve got.
Jay Benedict has the right amount of style and superficiality to be a Hollywood huckster; Helen Dallimore plays Hemingway’s long-suffering wife with the right amount of angst and Tammy Joelle’s ambitious secretary has the right amount of deviousness.
Finally, James Graeme’s drunken author does have more than a passing likeness to “Papa” and certainly has his moments.
The show is directed by Pat Garrett and boasts an impressive set designed by Christopher Woods.
The libretto is based on a play by Ron Read.
Until August 8

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