Honor but no glory
The Anouilh revival falters over a weakly cast Mademoiselle Colombe at the Bridewell, says Benedict Nightingale
October 9 2000, 1:00am, The Times
The rediscovery and maybe the rehabilitation of Jean Anouilh, once almost as well regarded in London as in Paris, is overdue by a decade or two; but I suspect that Poor Bitos, Waltz of the Toreadors or even his wartime adaptation of Antigone are more likely to accomplish it than Colombe, or Mademoiselle Colombe, as Jeremy Sams retitles the play. Hard to be sure, though, when some of the principal parts could be more strongly cast than they are at the plucky little Bridewell, EC4.
Actually, that's nothing new. The play's most powerful role was reportedly travestied when Peter Brook staged its British premiere in 1951. The comedienne Yvonne Arnaud was too lightweight to play the ageing terror of the Paris boulevards, Madame Alexandra. So,…