Cheeky play not for the easily offended

Apr 25 2008 By John Slim

CHRIS Jaeger, director of the Blue Room, which opens at the Swan Theatre, Worcester, next week, is approaching it from the premise that there's plenty to laugh at in sex.

"Sex is often ridiculous," he says. "And people do ridiculous things because of sex, particularly men."

David Hare's play, written in 1998, is based on Arthur Schnitzler's La Ronde, which prompted prosecutions of all concerned after its first performance in Berlin in 1920. But Chris Jaeger insists that it is not the nudity, simulated sex or strong language that are shocking, but the lives of the characters.

"The deceit, the pretence and the manipulation are far more memorable than the actors' bare bottoms and breasts."

This is a remarkably brave production for an amateur group. The cast consists of only two people, Bob Churchill and newcomer Emily Portsmouth - and Emily has her own way of approaching the challenge.

She says: "At first the prospect of having to do nude work with strangers was daunting to say the least. But I soon realised that the challenge would have been even tougher and infinitely more embarrassing had I been familiar with my co-star or the stage crew. Bob's had to get his bits out in front of friends he's known for a couple of years!"

In the course of ten scenes, Emily and Bob play five characters each. The production runs from Tuesday to Saturday next week.

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