True, I never went to Havana in the 1950s but I really felt there at Oxford Playhouse last night.
Despite Graham Greene declaring that ‘human nature is not black and white but black and grey’, rest assured this adaption of his 1958 novel Our Man In Havana, faithfully conveys the exciting political satire and farce of the original, while allowing Greene’s cynical world view to underlie this new production.
this adaption of greene’s 1958 novel ‘Our Man In Havana’, faithfully conveys the exciting political satire and farce of the original
Thus, the all-in-one spy-thriller, comedy and romance may have a very straight-forward plot: a struggling British vacuum-cleaner salesman in Havana, Jim Wormold (Jack Ashton), is lured into working for British secret intelligence, represented by the pompous Hawthorne (Bob Barrett).
In order to earn money for his high-maintenance teenage daughter Milly (Jodie Steele), and to satisfy his new employer, Jim invents a fake spy-ring and creates designs of weapons of mass destruction based on vacuum-cleaner parts. But what happens when Wormold ‘invents too well’ and Hawthorne gets egg on his face…?
These four actors have their work cut out by sharing an impressive 30 roles between them
These three actors plus Leon Ockenden have their work cut out sharing an impressive 30 distinct roles between them they, which they do very adeptly.
As if that wasn’t enough, the cast often break out of character during the whirlwind of short scenes in order to briefly narrate the storyline, before seamlessly slipping back into their roles.
‘Ockenden’s drag Queen Elizabeth and Barrett’s stripper are standout moments’
The speed of their costume changes is at times quite literally laughable as actors leave the stage for mere seconds, only to return in completely different attire.
Ockenden’s drag Queen Elizabeth and Barrett’s stripper are standout moments, but Steele’s helpless corpsing under the weight of playing a Northern-Irish salesman and a dying dog simultaneously was perhaps the show’s standout moment – don’t ask; it will all make sense when you see it.
If there is a fifth member of the cast, then it’s the wonderful visuals: the magnificent Havana street set for one; quick changes showing off the interiors of apartments, bars and cars; gorgeous period dresses and smart uniforms.
If there is a fifth member of the cast, then it’s the wonderful visuals – the magnificent Havana street set for one
Grey and black then in terms of subterfuge and moral decadence; but OUR MAN IN HAVANA is an exotic, multi-coloured riot of a show in every other sense.
Edward Bliss
OUR MAN IN HAVANA, Oxford Playhouse until Sat Aug 1. Book here https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/our-man-in-havana
