Arts Theatre, London – until 2 September 2017
Snapshots from one woman’s life are plastered across the proscenium arch of the Arts Theatre, and her name is illuminated in giant letters as a backdrop for this story. There is definitely only one agenda of this production, the life and loves of Lucille Ball.
Drawn solely from Lee Tannen’s memory, I Loved Lucy is a compilation of events, big and small, from a friendship, stocked with up and downs. Fans of Lucille Ball will gain the most from this production, with sweet and bitter insights in to her life, but even those who aren’t familiar with Lucy or her work can enjoy the journey. Packed with naughty jokes, juicy gossip and tit bits, I Loved Lucy keeps the audience amused.
It’s easy to imagine that the tone of this piece was much more intimate in the cosy space of Jermyn St theatre, before transferring to the Arts, where the telling of Lucy’s life becomes more glamorous and grandiose.
Matthew Scott is captivatingly charismatic as Lee Tannen, delighting the audience with quips from the past, Scott immediately pulls the audience into his charms and makes this journey as much about Tannen, as it is about Lucy. The perfect role for his West End debut. Sandra Dickinson has mastered the infectious cackle, and slight gruff of Lucille’s voice, harnessing the same comic timing as Ball herself. Scott and Dickinson make a fun, lighthearted coupling on stage.
Understandable, with Lee Tannen as the Playwright, most of this play concerns just Tannen and Ball, however it would have been great to hear more stories from Lucy’s life with Desi Arnaz and other members from her past.
