Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 26th March 2022
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
5*****
Catch Me If You Can was written in 1965 by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, based on a French play by Robert Thomas. The plot involves a man, Daniel Corban, on his honeymoon, who reports his wife missing. He calls in the local police Inspector who begins to investigate. Soon after, a woman turns up claiming to be his wife, but he immediately refutes this claim…
That Patrick Duffy managed to inhabit the character of Corban so completely is a testament to his acting prowess and a lifetime creating a body of exceptional work on shows such as Dallas (which, of course, had every scenario in the book over the years). I confess I did momentarily (and giddily) think “Good Heavens, it’s Bobby Ewing!” before being totally immersed in the action in front of me (I mention that as a deserved compliment). Duffy delighted with his rich palette of acting chops throughout, entertaining us with an impressive range of emotions. Anyone lucky enough to have caught Duffy’s classic series Step By Step will not be surprised by his command of comedy, which is also well represented here. In short, a fantastic, nay masterful, performance and a thrill to see this legend in action close up!
Linda Purl (playing Elizabeth Corban) gave a richly nuanced performance which turned on a sixpence, depending on who she was on stage with. It looked like a lot of fun as she relished this femme fatale, displaying a gusto that was infectious.
Inspector Levine (Gray O’Brien), like our two leads, gave an exceptional, flawless, performance. His interplay with Duffy and Purl was a joy to behold. Ben Nealon (playing Father Kelleher) rounds out the stellar cast that is as strong individually as it is in ensemble! His face may not grace the advertising poster but this role is almost as important as the three principle leads and equally majestically executed.
A special mention goes to distinguished veteran actor Hugh Futcher, bringing Sidney (the coffee shop owner) wonderfully to life. A hilarious display that, sadly, graced the stage for too few scenes! But every moment brought limitless pleasure.
The lodge set is rather sumptuous as are the period clothes, both transporting us to that most stylish of decades! The ladies especially benefit from this gorgeous era’s wardrobe!
The script kept us guessing throughout with an almost maze like convolution to the plot. Right till the very end I wasn’t sure what was true or false or why. It’s no surprise to learn that one of the original screenwriter’s worked on Scooby Doo! The final twist in the tale packs a punch that Agatha Christie would have been proud of!
Brilliantly written, exceptionally acted, a cast to thrill and delight all wrapped up in a plot (and characters) that you can’t easily pin down. In short, absolutely everything you could possibly want for a perfect night out! A very richly deserved 5 stars from all concerned and an unreserved recommendation to Catch it If You Can!