The Tailors’
Last Stand
Published Thursday 21
February 2013 at 15:16 by Honour Bayes
Ian Buckley’s gently humorous new offering is a touching
testament to 20th century British socialism. Based on his father’s accounts of
retired tailors’ trade union meetings, The Tailors’ Last Stand is full of
antiquated language and disappointed dreams. But the sentiments of these faded
‘comrades’ also chime potently with the hopes of modern ‘brothers and sisters’
such as Occupy, thus contextualising contemporary struggles.
This cast wouldn’t look out of place in Dad’s Army and
although they appear a bit shaky on their legs and lines they are a watchable
and likeable bunch. As the mischievous Tom, Richard Ward is a warm mediator to
Terry Jermyn’s zany George and the emotionalism exploding between old love foes
Edmund Dehn - as the officious Max - and Tony Parkin’s querulous Barney.
Cleo Harris-Seaton’s lemon-walled NHS waiting room design
gives a potent sense of faded grandeur, while the Labour leaders who adorn the
walls do a nice job of reminding us what the party meant before Tony Blair.
Buckley cleverly ties in the struggles of communism as a global concept with
the personal struggles of these retired communists and, apart from a contrived
piece of business around a doctor, this is a sharply written piece.
Production information
Barons Court Theatre, London, February 19-March
10
Author:
Ian Buckley
Director:
Harry Saks
Producer:
Red Needle
Productions
Cast includes:
Edmund Dehn, Richard Ward, Tony Parkin,
Terry Jermyn
Running time:
1hrs 30mins
Production information displayed was believed correct at time of review. Information may change over the run of the show.