Theatre for the masses... of 1887

DANDY DICK, Opera House, Manchester
THE sadly misled among you might think to go believing this to be the latest semi-pornographic, no-holds-barred comedy from America, in which case take your coat off and sit down again.

Dandy Dick is a product of the late 19th century’s prolific and successful playwright Arthur Wing Pinero, and enjoyable though some aspects of this production remain, it seems unlikely there will be much of a revival of his work any time soon.

Pinero’s plays — this one dates from 1887 — hark back to the sharp language and occasionally the smartness of OScar Wilde, but the playwright’s chief attribute was said to be to reclaim theatre for the masses.

Thus the story, a convoluted affair about a respectable and well-meaning, betting-unfriendly cathedral dean in need of money, sees him brought down a peg or two with high expressions, sharp turns of phrase and low comedy as he takes the road to financial salvation — a racing wager.

Dandy Dick is the racehorse in question and the saviour, by way of being a winner, of the hour. And it’s not hard to think that director Christopher Luscombe had the racehorse model in mind while directing.

Pinero’s writing tends to go a bit wild at times, so Luscombe puts his cast in race mode, sends them off over the literary jumps and doesn’t let the pace slacken.

Patricia Hodge as the dean’s sister and horse trainer does her speak-up-and-swamp-the-opposition routine, while Nicholas le Prevost has fun with the role of the much put-upon dean.

Michael Cochrane is enjoyably daffy as the old friend, and the supporting cast generally speaks up and speaks out - except the young actresses playing the dean’s daughters, Florence Andrews and Jennifer Rhodes, who took some time to get used to projecting their voices in the big auditorium.

The main deanery set is large and detailed (indeed it got a round of applause, which tells you something about the audience), there’s a bit of singing and violin playing, and you are out of the doors at 9.35pm having seen a short comedy that packs a lot in but still leaves you wondering whether there isn’t perhaps some more that was left out. 


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