l_rawjalaurence Review of The Dresser

The Dresser (2015 TV Movie)

Solid Remake of the Harwood Classic Spoiled by Miscasting in One of the Central Roles

[6/10 · 1 November 2015]

Inevitably Richard Eyre's remake of Ronald Harwood's 1980 play is going to be compared with Peter Yates's 1983 film starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay. In thematic terms, this production more than holds its own. Eyre stresses the symbiotic bond between Sir (Anthony Hopkins) and Norman (Ian McKellen) through a clever use of grouping; the two of them are invariably seen together in the same shot, even when Norman is standing some way away from his employer. The two men are like Yin and Yang; neither can exist without the other. Norman has no life other than within the touring company; while Sir has the undoubted talent to run the outfit on his own, he needs a sounding-board, and Norman more than adequately fulfills the role. We also get some sense of why Shakespeare is so important to Sir, his company, and his audiences. For Sir it is a means of defining his identity; perhaps more than living with his wife Pussy (aka Her Ladyship) (Emily Watson). Through Shakespeare he can maintain a fantasy-world of power in which he exists at the top of the tree, and can maintain a benevolent despotism over the remainder of his company. Even when at the limits of sanity, it is Shakespeare who keeps him going. For the company, the chance to work in Shakespeare is equally identity-defining. Thornton (Edward Fox) is a bit-part player given an unexpected chance to play the Fool in KING LEAR. After a lifetime in the shadows, he has the chance to become someone, even if he might lack the talent to do so. Although the company might be tatty, the sets and costumes primitive, it can still provide opportunities that might never exist elsewhere. For audiences, the chance to see Sir performing during the midst of an air-raid represents an opportunity not only to see Shakespeare live, but to share in a collective experience that provides security for everyone. Yet the coherence of this production has been disrupted somewhat by the casting of Hopkins in the role of Sir. An undoubted talent in his own right, he lacks the power and the star quality demanded by the role; we have to know that Sir is a romantic talent, someone who can attract attention through sheer emotional power. Hopkins's rendition of Sir as King Lear is far too low-key in tone; it does not demonstrate the character's suffering, and thereby prove just how much the actor welcomes the role. Ian McKellen makes a convincing Norman, all bird-like gestures and conscious camp. One memorable moment occurs right at the end of the production, when Sir has passed away. Norman reads the beginnings of the autobiography Sir has written; finds his name absent; slumps in a chair and sticks his tongue out like a child towards Sir's corpse. He wants to break free of the dead actor's influence, but knows that he cannot. The production ends with a shot of the theater in which Sir dies, looking out from the stage into the auditorium. A stagehand crosses the playing area; the lights go out and the action fades to black. This moment emphasizes just how much a story of the theater THE DRESSER is; roles matter more than truth for everyone.