UNHERALDED, but not unsung, a bright new musical has just slipped into
the Haymarket Theatre, London, from the Queen's, Hornchurch. It's called
Lust, to which the Haymarket management have added the words circa 1661,
lest it be mistaken for another sort of show entirely.
For here is a musical version of Wycherley's gamey, licentious
Restoration comedy, The Country Wife, adapted by all four of the Heather
brothers. You may remember their rock 'n' roll mini-saga, A Slice of
Saturday Night, that did well some years ago. Lust has better tunes,
better rhymes, more fun, and variety -- and Denis Lawson as a highly
athletic sexual acrobat invited into the best bed chambers in town. He's
no threat, you see, having lost his tackle during illness. Except, of
course, that he hasn't.
Lawson's virtuoso turn, all singing, all dancing and all everything
else is complemented by Paul Leonard's feisty performance as his doctor
friend, Quack. A quartet of lusty ladies led by Judith Paris has a merry
old time, finally turning the tables on our hero, condemning him to a
life of enforced sexual servitude.
Bob Carlton's lively production, aided by Irving Davies's choreography
makes Lust a show to enjoy. A hilarious laughing duet is performed
behind the shivering closed curtains of a four-poster by Mr Lawson and
the buxom Sophie Aldred.
Helen Hobson is a sweet-voiced heroine and Julian Curry leads a strong
cast who combine excellent singing voices with suitable Restoration
style.
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