A bottom-spinning belter
Hymn Almeida Theatre, London Until August 13, 1hr 30mins ★★★★★ Bagdad Cafe The Old Vic, London Until August 21, 1hr 30mins ★★★★★
Anyone who saw Adrian Lester in the musical Company knows that he can sing – he won an Olivier Award in the lead role. Now we know he can spin on his bottom, breakdancing in this belter of a play that involves a load of enviably cool dad-dancing.
Written by Lolita Chakrabarti, Hymn is the story of two 50-year-olds who meet at a funeral and discover a secret family connection. The Temptations’ hit Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone is a clue to the play’s big revelation, while Bill Withers’s Lean On Me is its emotional anthem.
Both actors are on blazing form. Danny Sapani plays Benny – all wary and wounded; Lester is the eloquent, besuited Gil with a recently deceased father he never pleased. The two men join forces in a designer stationery business that ends in tragedy.
Directed by Blanche McIntyre, this sorrowful bromance often junks dialogue in favour of showing us the characters’ feelings through the natty moves of two getting-ona-bit actors. It sounds contrived – and it sort of is – but it really works. The joy of it is that you whoop way more than you wince.
Bagdad Cafe is based on the quirky 1987 film about a scuzzy truck stop diner/motel in the Mojave desert. A German tourist, Jasmin, is abandoned by her husband. It is her inspirational spirit which then transforms the cafe, sorting out its grumpy, sad owner Brenda (Sandra Marvin) and her family in the process.
Patrycja Kujawska is pure sweetness as the Bavarian incomer, and clever director Emma Rice combines comedy illusions and puppetry in her wacky, handmade style. It’s very inventive and community-minded – but plotless.
Long on charm, short on yarn.