For weeks, I’ve been seeing adverts all over Oxford for Duet for One – a Tom Kempinski play from the 1980s, loosely based (although not according to the author) on the life of Jacqueline Du Pré. Stephanie (played by Belinda Lang) is a former violinist who has recently contracted multiple sclerosis, and is trying to come to terms with her loss, not only of her career, but mainly of her passion. She is attending sessions with a psychiatrist, Dr Feldmann, played by Jonathan Coy.
In many ways, this is a good play. The dialogue is sharp. The actors are given nowhere to hide – both are on stage and facing the audience for the length of the performance; there are few props and the scenery is a simple office setting. The use of music is effective (if a little sparse, given the theme of the play). The acting is excellent – Stephanie’s background (slowly revealed in her sessions with the doctor) informs us about her character, and shows us the tragedy of her loss; Feldmann is a more elusive figure, but he gives us glimpses of his humanity during his insightful questioning of Stephanie.
However, I couldn’t help feeling that this is exactly the kind of play that we don’t really need in 2018. I felt much the same way as I do about a new Ian McEwan novel – enough now, let’s have some new voices. Duet for One speaks through the voice of a very privileged woman, unable to continue in her life of infinite advantage. This is not to say that this is not a sad situation, and one that deserves to be understood, but if people are to be encouraged to attend the theatre in the twenty-first century, they ought to be able to hear a universal voice, and this isn’t it. ★★★☆☆ @BookingAround 29th August 2018
