Well first I have to share a somewhat amusing anecdote about this theatre visit. Miss Thoroughly Modern Milly promised me that this was a new musical starring Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths. Although somewhat sceptical of this assertion, I had high hopes for the evening. None of these hopes were dashed in any way, but I did lean over to Milly about thirty minutes in and say “Are you sure this is a musical? There’s no band and there haven’t been any songs…” In case you need any further reassurance, it is in fact a play and not a musical!
Initial misconceptions aside, this was a night of roaring comedy from the get-go. The plot centres around two aging actors who were once a formidable comedic duo of great renown. For a number of reasons, Willy Clark (DeVito) and Al Lewis (Griffiths) could no longer stand to work with each other and the partnership was dissolved. Is it a tad near the knuckle to ask what better actors to play aging stars enjoying a renaissance than DeVito and Griffiths? I think not, as they deserve only praise for their hilarious scenes and priceless interactions. The story builds towards a reprise of the protagonists’ success, as engineered by Willy Clark’s nephew, Ben Silverman, played by Adam Levy. Levy wins best supporting actor in this production for me without a doubt. In fact, it would be unfair not to place his performance on a par with that of the headliners. Another excellent supporting performance came from Johnnie Fiori, who portrayed a somewhat stereotypical ‘Registered Nurse’ with wit and hysterical comic timing.
If there is anything to criticise, it is that the plot is almost solely one-dimensional. However, this can be forgiven as the relentless comedy galvanises a fairly standard comic sketch to last (and not only to last but engage the audience) for a full two hours’ running time. There never really was a dull moment.
What better excuse to catch DeVito and Griffiths enjoying a smash in the twilight stages of their career? I urge you not to miss out – book tickets here.
The Sunshine Boys Continues until 28 July.
Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, Mark McCloskey.