Thoughtful Bennett play - more questions than answers (From Messenger Newspapers)

Thoughtful Bennett play - more questions than answers

11:01am Wednesday 6th October 2010 in Theatre Reviews By Rick Bowen

WHILE many of us dream about being famous, of leaving our mark on the world, the two cultural icons featured in The Habit of Art seem so dreadfully unhappy.

This may come as something of a surprise when you discover the men in question are the poet WH Auden and the equally celebrated composer Benjamin Britten.

Alan Bennett’s deeply thoughtful play poses more questions than it answers, including is it time to walk away when the creative process becomes akin to a production line? Does becoming distinguished diminish your humanity in the eyes of your adoring public, to the extent that everyone wants a piece of you?

Throw in some on liners that glow with brilliance and you should have the recipe for a truly memorable night’s theatre. So, why did I leave the Lowry feeling a little disappointed? There were times I felt I was overdosing on ideas and I thought the play paid a little bit too much attention to the sexual leanings of the two men.

The Habit of Art is a play within a play and we meet a group of actors rehearsing a play about Auden and Britten in a bomb site of a rehearsal room. You would expect performances by the National Theatre to be something to write home about and Desmond Barrit as Fitz/Auden and Malcolm Sinclair (Henry/Britten) seize the chance to shine.

* Until October 9. The box office is on 0843 208 6000. Star rating - ***