Actors spot on in dark comedy, but audience misses their cues

The Dresser

Fringe Club Studio

Tonight, June 9-12, 16-19

Much of the dark humour of the first half of Ronald Harwood's The Dresser appeared to sail over the heads of a supportive, but largely uncomprehending, first-night audience, who laughed nervously in response to the most obvious cues but failed altogether to respond to the subtler asides.

It was not the fault of the cast. Neville Sarony gave a splendid performance as the egomaniacal, stage fright-stricken actor manager known only as 'Sir', and Paul Frazer was wholly believable as the devoted but wholly unappreciated dresser.

The Dresser is a claustrophobic play, and the intimacy of the Fringe Club Studio made it more so. The set design had Sarony staring into the audience throughout much of the production through an imaginary dressing table mirror, and with no member of the audience more than a few feet away, the overbearing self-absorption of the character was palpable.