THEATRE TALK: The Wonders Of Andrew Scott's Cock

Cocksure

One of the most exciting things about going to the theatre is discovering wonderful talents you have never seen before. There are so many actors in the UK and so few who work all the time that it's pretty much a given you'll see a fair few new faces at every production. This was the case for me with the Royal Court's Cock, which I saw last Friday. Starring Ben Whishaw, Katherine Parkinson, AnDrew Scott and Paul Jesson, it has attracted a very mixed crowd due to the names involved as well as its provocative title, and sold out barring returns. In the toilets pre-show, I heard two young girls chatting about the performance. "I was going to cancel," one said, "but then I realised it had people off the telly in it." Sigh.

Anyway, my point was not to talk about the depressing way many of us make our theatregoing choices, but to talk about new faces. Although Whishaw and Parkinson are certainly recognisable thanks to their respective appearances in Brideshead Revisited and The IT Crowd, and while both gave strong performances, it was 33-year-old Scott who really impressed. His frustrated and angry portrayal of M, betrayed by his partner and desperately trying to cling on, was so perfectly nuanced, his physicality so well balanced against Whishaw's that you almost forgot he was playing a part, despite the intimate atmosphere and claustrophobic staging.

Like Dominic Rowan, who sparkled as Touchstone in the Globe's As You Like It this summer, or Edward Bennett, who gave an incredible performance in the RSC's Hamlet after David Tennant injured his back, Scott had previously flown under my theatre radar, but no more. It really is quite thrilling when you discover someone truly fantastic - Scott has now firmly ensconced himself on my list of 'ones to watch'.

(Picture Credit: Steve Cummiskey)

All dressed up

I was lucky enough this week to see the dress rehearsal of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, which is currently in previews at the Novello, and which runs until April. With a rather starry cast, including James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Adrian Lester, all doing solid, enjoyable but not thrilling work, it was exciting to see the familiar but not so famous faces of Peter de Jersey and Nina Sosanya stealing the scene in the smaller roles of Goober and Mae. The gorgeous Sanaa Lathan also impressed as Maggie (The cat), ploughing through interminably long speeches without losing audience focus, while the children playing Goober and Mae's offspring amused with their occasional shrieking appearances.

While the timing could be worked on a bit - after starting half an hour late, it rumbled on for around three hours, a tad long for this one-set play, and the dialogue could be snappier in places, this looks likely to be a success at the Novello. A good thing, too, after an up-and-down year for the theatre, during which they had to deal with the early closure of traumatic teen musical Spring Awakening, but were later rescued by the classic An Inspector Calls.

A busy week beckons

Although the panto season is fast approaching and, as Lyn Gardner said, it will be increasingly hard to find new 'things to see' as we wind our way towards Christmas, there are still plenty of exciting things to do and see in London. This week, I'm off to The Priory, which is still in previews until the end of the week, Public Property at the Trafalgar Studios and an exciting fringe production of Jason Robert Brown's Last Five Years up in Watford, starring Bobbie Chatt and Nadeem Crowe, who impressed this summer in Zanna, Don't!.

Here's a tip for those who like a money-saving deal - if you're under 26, the Royal Court may be able to give you £6 tickets up until the end of previews, while the West End Whingers have been running a promotion for Public Property which will get you in for £17.50 rather than £25 until the 26th. All you need to do is quote 'WEW'. Bargain!

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