Every now and then, a new play is produced that reminds me why I fell in love with theatre, and what it really means when art makes you feel something. Allegra by Peter Quilter, starring the inimitable Dame Maureen Lipman does exactly that. The writing is absolutely first class – it reminded me of some of my very favourite plays by Tom Stoppard – the pacing was slick, the jokes were on point, and some of there were some ‘throwaway lines’ peppered throughout that utterly took my breath way with their poignancy. The script is close to perfect, and it is set to become a classic.
Allegra is full of life, joy and an irresistible urge to sing. She bursts into song at home, in the street and even in the local shops and cafés. Sometimes the orchestra plays only in her imagination. Sometimes it spills gloriously into the real world, much to the delight, confusion and occasional horror of everyone around her.
Lipman is incandescent as the titular Allegra. An armchair psychiatrist may well diagnose her with borderline personality disorder, or at least a mild case of bipolar – but in this story, she is portrayed simply as a woman with the unquenchable urge to bring joy into her own life, and into the lives of everyone she meets. When Allegra first bowled down the stairs onto the impressive stage set, I didn’t know quite what to make of this slightly off-beat and disconnected performance. It took all of a few lines for me to fall under Allegra’s spell, and I remained entranced by Lipman’s pitch perfect performance until the very last. Lipman truly is a master of her craft and made me laugh and cry in equal measure. Every single beat was a masterclass in human behaviour – kudos to Maureen and to the show’s legendary director, Stephen Mear.
This deeply moving play takes a cynical look at a world that has lost its spark, through the eyes of one extraordinary woman who just wants to reignite it. At the heart of Allegra’s character is unrelenting happiness and selflessness – and the story of how those around her don’t always appreciate and treasure her is one that will stay with me for a very long time.
Listen to Steven Gordon-Wilson talking to Maureen Lipman on Showtime
The production was beautifully staged, with some brilliantly intelligent hidden secrets that are revealed throughout Allegra’s more dazzling musical numbers. Aside from a slightly irritating lag on the microphones (meaning the first word of a fair few lines went unheard) the production quality was excellent and perfectly complemented the four outstanding actors on stage. Final word must go once again to the seemingly unstoppable Dame Maureen Lipman who, at the age of 80, was leaping around with a nimble grace that would exhaust many half her age!
5*
Allegra plays the Wycombe Swan until 23rd May and then tours the UK. Tickets at allegraplay.com
