Ian Stroughair aka Velmi Celli and Kandy Rohmann in Times Square Angel at the Union Theatre, London. Picture: Darren Bell
Times Square Angel continues at the Union Theatre, London until 21 December.
Christmas is the time for fairytales and Charles Busch’s play Times Square Angel is a glamorous combination of It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. It’s 1948 New York and Irish O’Flanagan (Ian Stroughair aka Velma Celli) the bitter acid-tongued headlining act of the Club Intime gets a visitor. An Angel called Albert (Michael Adams) has been sent by God to show Irish she has taken a disastrous route that means her life is in mortal peril. Like any good fairytale there is a plot twist, this being that Albert has to not only redeem Irish but also himself.
Philip Lindley’s minimal set design is a welcome choice, as the temptation could have been to create an overly sentimental and garish look for this Christmas themed play. The traditional festive scene of a decorated fireplace on the left of the stage is purely for the narrator (Ellen Verenieks) and is the only obvious indicator of it being Christmas. As with many a seasonal story, a narrator is a traditional figure and perhaps seen as a necessity on the part of Busch, but Verenieks has a charming quality and authenticity that is truly special.
From the moment Irish powerfully sings ‘Merry Little Christmas’ and the audience is first introduced to her glamorous, self-indulgent world, it’s one that is irresistibly addictive. Stroughair’s comedic timing and characterisation are phenomenal throughout. When Albert shows Irish her funeral, consisting of only a few friends and acquaintances, her reaction ‘Where’s everybody else?’ may just be a a simple line, but it is delivered with sadness and humour in equal measure. Even the most modest pieces of dialogue are brought to life with such conviction by the acid-tongued diva.
Adams’ portrayal of Albert is interesting. He displays the same hard-shelled persona as Irish during most of the production, which results in you wanting to know more about his past too (apart from the fact that he was a magician prior to his death).
Although the main relationship in Times Square Angel should in theory be between the effortlessly cool Albert and bitter Irish, the most touching is that of Irish and her maid Peona (Kandy Rohmann). The naivety and loyalty that is shown by Peona, without being contrived in any way, is a credit to the actress.
Bronagh Lagan’s direction is impressive and she draws out great characterisations from the cast members. Every one, no matter how small the role, seems to radiate enthusiasm and offers something individual to this production.
“I got charm,” professes Albert to God. That description could also be applied to Lagan’s production of Times Square Angel that gives the audience the right quantity of magic, cheer and tradition which kickstarts the festive period with a large sprinkling of attitude.
Francesca Mepham
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.