Chris Lemmon
Sentimental Journey
Who'd be the child of the first divorced wife of a
beloved Hollywood screen legend? Well, Chris Lemmon, son of Jack of Some Like It Hot, The Apartment and Missing fame, is that child. And this one-man show, named after an album
recorded by his piano-playing Dad, is a gently paced memoir of his father's life.
f you have to ask, "Who?" - well, this is
a show to please fans of a certain age and suckers for old Hollywood (TLT
couldn't possibly comment as to whether she is one of them ;)). But your reviewer
as a mere stripling theatregoer did manage to see Jack Lemmon in two West-End plays, Veterans Day and Long Day's Journey Into Night.
Although one of the points of the show may be that
Christopher Lemmon would be happy to have those who don't know the work of Jack
Lemmon to be in the audience. For him to be accepted as Chris Lemmon, a person
in his own right, introducing newbies to a story about human beings and families
caught up in, torn apart by, and sometimes reconciling within the Hollywood
machine.
This is a very bookish narration (indeed its genesis
was in a 2006 book) spliced with Chris, as his father, piano playing, singing
standards with double-edged lyrics reflecting, albeit gently, on the Hollywood
set up and taking on his father's stammer and nervous energy, as well as
bringing to life his fellow celebrities from Marilyn Monroe to Walter Matthau.
And there's no doubting, even without words, the look of the almond eyes, the fleeting impish
expression and talent for show business, is part of the Lemmon legacy, not only from his
father Jack but also, we learn, his flamboyant poker-playing grandmother Gigi.
Still, the darker
strands do emerge, like shards of original sin inflicted on the innocent,
especially nearer the end of a gently-paced show running a tad over two hours.
Yet the piece is deceptively carefully structured under a seemingly meandering
river of music, narration, impersonation, photos and movie clips (video
designer Simon Clarke).
For Twist of Lemmon directed, by Hugh Wooldridge
with design by Simon Wells, is a curious show for the terminally curious about
Hollywood, so gently spiked you have to work a little to put together the
darker strands.
Nevertheless the consequences of a Tinsel Town star's life is its own version of JFK's Camelot and, while there can only be one
president after winning an election, as Chris brings across, the competition between and playing off of
movie stars is endless and all-consuming.
Competition which even extends to father and son,
although as with Hollywood story arcs, the son winning out, even at Jack Lemmon's cherished golf club, is finally
accepted and a source of pride for his father.
Like Jack Lemmon, a talented musician whose piano
player career was cut short by Hollywood stardom, his son Chris can more than tinkle
the ivories. A photo of studious father and toddler son playing the same piano
gives the sentiment, more than a thousand words, of sharing a musical nervous system, as well as a
father-son bond.
But there was also the separation, both physically - after
the divorce of mother Cynthia who started off in radio with Jack - and
mentally, as second generation Hollywood Chris is a classically trained musician, having had the opportunity to do
degrees in music and acting.
It's almost a performance by Chris Lemmon which lulls one into a
false sense of security. Only when we examined afterwards the stark facts of
the story which emerged, we realized those ripples in the water with the star
at the centre were tidal waves inflicted on spouse and child.
So we come - gently - to the end of our review. We
found it interesting if a little lengthy. The chief attraction is the one
degree of separation from an old-time movie superstar, while also making one
reflect on unnatural pressures which would tear asunder any family.
But at the same time it's maybe as much an end of the
pier show (and Jack Lemmon was much influenced by French cinema and mime), with
political, global and digital interests shiftng, breaking the old sureties, marking the end of yet another era in Hollywood.
Beneath
the laughter and tears, there is some acid in this niche Lemmon show which gets
an amber//green light from TLT and her horsepowered caddy.
Posts
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete