Old Money review, Hampstead Theatre

Christmas is the perfect time for turkeys and the mother of all turkeys is thawing on the main stage at Hampstead. What possessed Maureen Lipman to take the role of Joyce, who at seventy decides to cast off her family? Confusingly, each member of her motley tribe presents a different acting methodology. Tracy Ann Oberman, the leeching daughter, is from the Nicholas Hoogstraten School of Bish Bash Bosh. The evil granny's from Hansel and Gretel's gingerbread house. As for Maureen...

Red undant

It's like Shirley Valentine without the Valentine, or Oklahoma's Aunt Ellen misplacing Curly in her draws. She's Michael Palin in a frock, an extra from The Missionary tending to the fallen. The first fall was the original director. A master of comedy, Terry Johnson, is now at the helm, but alas there's no comic seam to mine here - not even in Joyce's red Bond Street coat.

Lipman is fabulous, but cannot support the woolly script alone because Sarah Wooley's story of family dysfunction is not believable. Who are these people? When acting is about the audience believing, that's a serious fail. The designers clearly spent too long in Arrow Electrical on Cricklewood Broadway. Twenty plus light fittings and a CGI backdrop are all we have as a set and none of it is a good look.

In conclusion: Fans of Lipman will love it because she is unquestionably lovable, even in this disappointment, but if you want to see Hampstead at it's best, take a punt on Di, Viv and Rose which comes to the main stage in the New Year.

References
Hampstead Theatre, Di Viv and Rose, tickets.

Hampstead Theatre is on Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London NW3 3EU. This production is now over.