Ronald Harwood The Dresser

(5 stars; 2 reviews)

Award-winning play about an actor and his dresser. "What do we play tomorrow, Norman?" "King Lear, sir." "Then I shall wake with the storm clouds in my head.” In Britain during the Blitz, a traveling theater company prepares to perform King Lear while Sir, the actor in the title role, is spiraling into madness. Sir’s devoted dresser, Norman, would do anything to help lift his fallen monarch for one last stage triumph. Norman has his work cut out, as 'Sir' prepares to tackle yet another performance of Lear. Percussion:…….Roy Sinclair Director:…….David Blount Sir: Freddie Jones Norman:…………Michael Palin Her Ladyship:……..Melinda Walker Madge:…….Jill Graham Irene:……..Federay Holmes Mr Thornton:……..Geoffrey Matthews Mr Oxenby:…….Keith Drinkel Kent:……..John Baddeley Gloucester:……..John Webb Albany:……..James Telfer The Monday Play: The Dresser 29th March 1993 19.45 A traveling Shakespeare company performs King Lear during the Blitz. Norman, dresser to the troupe's aging, megalomaniac star, struggles to maintain his composure and sanity amid air raid sirens, German bombing runs, and a master thespian slowly merging with ththunderous Mad King. This was Michael Palin’s first radio drama role. Freddie Jones had taken the role of ‘Sir’ in the very first theatre production at the Royal Exchange the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester in 1980, and then in the West End.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.