4 October 2025
Legendary Shakespearean actor Roger Sutherland, his career on the wane and suffering memory problems that probably signal early onset dementia, is forced to swallow his pride (along with sinking a gallon of gin) and offer cash-in-hand night class acting masterclasses in primary school classrooms. In constant fear of being caught out by the tax man, his current situation is a far cry from his glory days starring in Richard III in the West End…
In Tim Connery’s excellent new drama – his seventh play at this enterprising fringe theatre above a neighbourhood pub in deepest Penge East – he more than meets his match in the shape of Gary Brock, a former child star in his native Australia. This brash, highly opinionated upstart is the only participant at the latest masterclass and soon finds himself facing off with Roger. Sparks fly and tempers flare as they debate who has the best acting technique, but beneath all the posturing and put-downs, could these people from different generations and as different as chalk and cheese actually learn anything from each another?
Connery peppers his punchy script from the get-go with a succession of witty one liners and acting in-jokes, but it eventually settles down into something more poignant and ultimately rewarding.
Alex Donald has all the necessary gravitas as the theatrical great dwelling on past glories but he really comes into his own as reality slowly slips from Sutherland’s grasp. He reaches for names and struggles remembering lines and you really feel for him as a character. A lovely well rounded performance laced with pathos.
Kurt Lucas proves an effect foil, annoying and loud at first but eventually mellowing.
This is a finely tuned two-hander directed with a welcome lightness of touch by Luke Adamson.
Since watching it I have been recasting it in my head for TV or film. How great would it be to see this terrific new comedy about the business of acting, in the hands of a true great of the theatre, such as Sir Ian McKellen or Simon Russell Beale? It would certainly add another level of authenticity and poignancy to proceedings.
Its short run ends tonight and the cast deserve to go out on a high.
Masterclass is top class fringe theatre.
