Bakersfield Mist
Duchess Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 28th May 2014
It's so refreshing to see a new eighty-minute play about something other than love or self-discovery. Stephen Sachs' extraordinary piece delves into what makes art and people truly authentic. Instead of dragging the play out across two acts, the two hander runs for eighty minutes without an interval. Not a dull moment passes; breaking for an interval simply wouldn't work.
Kathleen Turner makes her return to the London stage as Maude, an ex-barwoman who has found herself in possession of a painting which she thinks is a Jackson Pollock – which means it would be worth millions. Turner stars opposite Ian McDiarmid who plays renowned art expert Lionel Percy. Lionel visits Maude to authenticate the painting, and from here on after the play spirals into brilliance.
Turner's stage presence is naturally commanding. Her comic timing is smart as she knows exactly when to hold back and when to give her all. Bakersfield Mist has some superb moments of comical brilliance and the audience responded with warmth, applauding throughout. It's not just a comedy though, as Bakersfield Mist takes several darker twists - Sachs' writing is clever as it's hard to predict exactly what's around the corner and ultimately we are able to make up our own minds.
