Poetic justice in Habit of Art

Habit Of Art by Alan Bennett

National Theatre

The Rep, Birmingham

review by Andy Richardson

Alan Bennett's new play is peerless. The great British playwrite's imagined meeting between poet WH Auden and composer Benjamin Britten is deft, witty, irreverant and deeply affecting.

It is a stunning composition that is wonderfully wise, marvellously arch, wickedly funny and decidedly knowing.

Set in Auden's grubby Oxford study, the piece is a play-within-a-play; so the ensemble appear as though rehearsing their parts before the big night.

The action centres on the exchanges between the garrulous and charismatic maverick Auden, played with a luminous brilliance by Desmond Barrit, and the more-guarded, efficient but introvert Britten, performed with mastery by Malcolm Sinclair.

As the narrative develops, the supporting crew come into their own. Simon Bubb is outstanding as the tortured writer of the play, Luke Norris is both hilarious and percipient as a rent boy called upon to service Auden while Selinda Cadell is magical as the stand-in director, constantly smoothing ruffled features with a well-intentioned 'Dahhh-ling, you're divine'. Matthew Cottle, meanwhile, plays a star turn as the self-relegating biographer of both cultural icons.

As the performance develops, Bennett's themes of denial, lugubriousness, decrepitude and artistic integrity are pursued with pithy insight and panache. There are innumerable one-liners of the sort that stand-ups would die for, brilliantly funny observations and an incomparable finale.

Director Nicholas Hynter's management is astounding, showing an innate understanding of Bennett's work, lending an authenticity to the action and creating a series of stand out scenes.

Little wonder that The Habit of Art won plaudits during its West End run. It is exciting, humorous and highly-intelligent drama of the highest standard.

* Habit of Art runs until October 2 at The Rep. For booking details call (0121) 236 4455 or visit www.birmingham-rep.co.uk