Somerset Maugham’s classic tale The Circle, may be a described as a comedy of manners, but it also poses some serious questions about life. Should you let your heart rule your head? And are you prepared to suffer the consequences of your actions?
Now showing at the Oxford Playhouse, The Circle features a stellar cast including Jane Asher, Clive Francis and Nicholas Le Prevost.
Set in the 1920s in an English country house, this is the story of Lady Kitty, played by Asher, who returns to her former family home 30 years after abandoning her son to run off with her lover. At the time it was a huge scandal – she and Lord Hughie Porteous (Nicholas Le Prevost) were disgraced, shunned by upper-class society and forced to live in purgatory in Florence in a “filthy granite palace” because they chose love.
They are back in England to meet her now grown up son Arnold (Pete Ashmore), but the visit doesn’t quite go to plan!
Kitty is quite a character – she confuses Teddy Luton (Daniel Burke) for her son, is obsessed with lipstick and her younger self. We learn of her suffering and many regrets. The shine wore-off pretty quickly and these days all the couple do is bicker – she even confessed to her former husband Clive (Clive Francis) that if she had her time again she would still be unfaithful, but wouldn’t leave him.
Meanwhile Clive has enjoyed singleton and delights in stirring things between Kitty and Hughie to humorous effect – we thoroughly enjoyed the insults between the pair!
Poor Arnold still carries the pain and scars of his childhood and now faces rejection once again by his wife Elizabeth (Olivia Vinall) who is set to ‘do a Kitty’ and run off with her lover. Should she stay with Arnold for security or leave for love and adventure with Teddie. Will Kitty’s tragic tale be enough of a warning to her? Or like Kitty, will her heart rule her head. Maugham offers no happy ever after!
This really was a charming play, with lots of laughs but also an emotional ride. It is a multi-layered story touching many themes. For us is was a delight to watch these stalwarts of theatre in action – every expression, movement and line used to its full effect. The Circle is at the Oxford Playhouse until Saturday. For more information and tickets which start at £14 call the Box Office on 01865 305305 or book online at www.oxfordplayhouse.com
When: Fri 9 – Sat 10 Feb
Where: Oxford Playhouse
