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Shaw & Campbell: Love Letters & Stage Fights
11 Feb
Summary
- The play explores Shaw's correspondence with Mrs. Patrick Campbell.
- It dramatizes their relationship during the staging of Pygmalion.
- Performances by Pickup and Turkington are central to the revival.
Jerome Kilty's 1957 two-hander, "Dear Liar," draws inspiration from the ardent correspondence between playwright George Bernard Shaw and the original Eliza Doolittle, Mrs. Patrick Campbell. This revival at the Jermyn Street Theatre focuses on their complex relationship, oscillating between courtship and combat.
The first act vividly portrays the challenges of staging Shaw's "Pygmalion," highlighting Campbell's dramatic flair and Shaw's directorial intensity. Their professional and personal relationship fractures over time, particularly as they attempt to mine their experiences for creative works.
Despite the script's age, the production relies on the nuanced performances of Rachel Pickup and Alan Turkington. Their portrayal captures the essence of these outsized personalities, bringing to life the enduring spark and occasional cobwebs within their unique artistic bond.
