Most educational establishments within the world strive to present their students and academics as the best there is or they will not attract future funding or students. This play tries to show what tricks are being played by respected places of learning to survive academically and morally.
As soon as the stage lights illuminate the pace never eases up on this beautifully constructed play, which is over before it has started, or so it seems, for it has said so much in seventy five minutes. Rodney Clark should feel proud of this finely crafted piece of stagecraft that gives the actors many speeches to display their great talents. The play was put together with skill under the direction of Ezra Hjalmarsson.
Timothy West gives the audience Sir Edgar Naseby, an Oxford don with a fine brain who is approaching the end of a career peppered with his many encounters with woman. Prunella Scales is the department head Dr Anne Hanson trying to hold things together whilst holding a torch for Sir Edgar since her student days, but as usual another woman student has got to grips with him and is holding him to ransom for a Phd on a poorly written thesis. Both are very much Oxford at all costs - there’s no place like it. Then enter the external examiner from one of the new universities, Dr David Colt played by Jake Broder who would like to be Oxford if he could, but he was originally not good enough so he has written a paper to try to make his name. The girl graduate who has got mixed up with Sir Edgar is trying to use their relationship to gain her doctorate on what everyone knows is a poor piece of work. The play revolves round morals and ethics and produces many insights into the ways of achieving a satisfactory end result.
Timothy West, Prunella Scales and Jake Broder give superb performances to make the hushed audience’s evening complete - what more could you want from a travelling band of players. Splendid. Go see this production if you have the chance or you will be forever disappointed. © BA
“The External” is in Leeds from the 24th of April until the 28th of April, 2001 and then continues its national tour.
