Hollywood Power Struggles
“Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill. Don’t all my movies come down to this? “
Alfred Hitchcock
“If you sit at the table, don’t spit at the other diners.”
Vincent Price
Author and screenwriter John Logan’s greatest successes have been in films like Gladiator, Skyfall and The Aviator, but his play, Red about Mark Rothco and his book for the musical Moulin Rouge are also celebrated.
In Double Feature two stories about Hollywood figures are juxtaposed and played in parallel. They even eat a meal at the same dinner table each pair interacting only within their pair. They are Vincent Price (Jonathan Hyde), known for his distinctive horror and wonderfully sinister voice, nearing the end of his career in 1967/8 and a young English director 24 year old Michael Reeves (Rowan Polonski). The other couple are director Alfred Hitchcock (Ian McNeice) and one of his famous blondes, Tippi Hedren (Joanna Vanderham) star of The Birds and Marnie.
John Logan’s theme is about power in the film industry. Vincent Price was not Michael Reeves’ first choice to play the lead in Witchfinder General but Donald Pleasence and Reeves didn’t want to direct another hammy horror film but something more violent and terrifying.
These two men who start in conflict, with Price demanding an apology on his knees from Reeves, work through their differences with Price taking over the sea bream dinner ruined by Reeves and serving up an acceptable meal of pasta. The meal is a metaphor for their working together as Reeves begs Price not to overact and Price eventually understands Reeves’ directing vision.
The meeting between Tippi Hedren and Hitchcock also has a place for food. Hitchcock has selected a huge meal with gourmet dishes to share with a woman who watches her figure and who is repulsed by Hitchcock’s sexual obsession with her. We see Joanna Vanderham stiffen as he alludes to her body. Thinking about it, it must have been very awkward when given the importance of a leading film role.
There is no humour from Ian McNeice as Hitchcock, just his pursuit of an actress which leaves her and the audience with a bad taste. This side of Hitchcock is not one we really want to see from the man who has made wonderful and thrilling films. Well done Tippi Hedren for resisting this powerful man. We hope that Tippi Hedren’s daughter Melanie Griffiths and granddaughter Dakota Johnson were not subject to such casting lechery.
Jonathan Kent directs the four actors with skill as the scenes are interlaced but separate. Anthony Ward’s set is the oak beamed ground floor of a country mansion, well furnished with art on the walls, one of which might be by Turner. Hedren’s pale blue suit is exquisite along with her blonde French pleat, beauty and necessary white gloves. The acting performances are all strong and believable. Well done Ian McNeice for giving us such a stolid and unappealing Hitchcock.
Double Feature is not as wonderful as the Royal Court’s Hitchcock Blonde which I reviewed in 2003 but it is a step in the right direction for Hampstead Theatre. There is a very sad post script in that Michael Reeves died very soon after making Witchfinder General from an accidental alcohol and barbiturates overdose in Knightsbridge.
Production Notes
Double Feature
Written by John Logan
Directed by Jonathan Kent
Cast
Starring:
Ian McNeice
Joanna Vanderham
Jonathan Hyde
Rowan Polonski
Creatives
Director: Jonathan Kent
Designer: Anthony Ward
Lighting Designer: Hugh Vanstone
Sound Designer: Paul Groothuis
Information
Running Time: Ninety minutes without an interval
Booking to 16th March 2024
Theatre:
Hampstead Theatre
Eton Avenue
Swiss Cottage
Tube: Swiss Cottage
Reviewed
by Lizzie Loveridge at
Hampstead Theatre
on 19th February 2024