Macready! Dickens’ Theatrical Friend, Brockley Jack Studio Review
Written by Penny for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Written, performed, staged and designed by Mark Stratford, Macready tells the story of a man who, despite having a huge influence on modern theatre, is probably not a name many people will know.
A somewhat reluctant actor, William Macready was born into a theatrical family but his own aspirations leaned towards a career in the law or the church. However Fate intervened, and at the age of 16, his father was sent to a debtor’s prison, leaving his young son to take over the management of his theatrical company until his debts could be repaid. The rest is a fascinating history that Stratford presents in just under an hour and a half of exceptional performance.
Although we do learn about Macready’s close friendship with Charles Dickens, the play’s title is maybe slightly misleading. This is very much Macready’s story but Dickens is a clever hook to draw people in. Based on Macready’s diaries, Stratford narrates the story as well as stepping into the scenes that he has set up, bringing Macready and various other characters to life with stories from his experiences on and off the stage. It’s very moving at times but balanced with plenty of humour. Shakespeare fans will enjoy Macready’s take on some of the Bard’s great tragic roles.
The staging is simple – there are a few chairs positioned around the space and a table to the rear with a metal box on it containing a few props. There’s a walking cane leaning against the table. As the audience enters the auditorium, the stage is shrouded in smoke.
As the smoke effect clears, Stratford takes to the stage and instantly grabs our attention as he introduces us to Macready. He gives a polished, confident and relaxed performance. He knows his character inside out and as we will come to learn, much like Macready intended in his own performances, this doesn’t feel like acting. Stratford is so in tune with his central character that it feels as if we are hearing from the man himself.
Although claiming he did not want to be an actor, Stratford portrays Macready with all the passion of somebody born to be one! In lesser hands he could come across as an insufferable diva, finding fault with rehearsal practices, criticising script changes and then demanding his own, giving unsolicited notes to his fellow actors and even coming to blows with a leading theatre manager. But all of these aspects of Macready’s personality are presented by Stratford with a self-deprecating charm that makes our flawed hero human rather than a horror. And, of course, it helps that his strong opinions, with the benefit of hindsight, are all correct and actually laid the foundations for a lot of aspects of modern theatre.
Throughout the performance, sound effects are used very well to add atmosphere and context, as well as showing the growing adulation of Macready’s audiences as he moves from provincial theatres to the West End’s most prestigious venues, the patent theatres permitted to show “serious” drama.
As we move through Macready’s life, Stratford uses simple pieces of costume and props to show the highs and lows of his experiences. This is very effective and also allows the action to flow smoothly and maintain an excellent pace.
This play gives us a fascinating look at theatre in the mid 19th Century, including its stars and public reactions to them. It establishes Macready himself as something of a trailblazer – influencing everything from behaviour in rehearsals through to the standards in the theatres themselves, introducing more comfortable Stalls seating and removing prostitutes who had previously worked in the venues (!), making it a more attractive night out for ladies and a boost to audience numbers.
William Macready is recorded as saying that he didn’t want to be an actor. But, he adds, the only thing he considered worse was to be a critic, saying “Let me be unhappy rather than vile!”. I think Mr Macready would have thoroughly approved of Mark Stratford’s compelling and superbly presented account of his life and enjoy the critical acclaim that it deserves.
Macready! Dickens’ Theatrical Friend runs until Saturday 15th February at the Brockley Jack Studio. It’s a small venue that is consistently punching well above its weight with high quality programming and in-house productions. It’s well worth a visit and this production is no exception. Find out more about the theatre and how to book for Macready here.
Find out more about its creator Mark Stratford and his work here.
★★★★★
