Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at Nottingham Theatre Royal
Taking in the expressions and comments of audiences as they spill from an auditorium into the foyers after a show often gives a pretty good idea of how they feel about the show. They might be smiling, laughing, humming, or excitedly sharing opinions on their favourite bits or characters.
A subdued reaction can sometimes mean they have seen something moving, thought-provoking or difficult to watch.
As my companion and I left The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, on Wednesday, I sensed each of us was waiting for the other to break the silence and be the first to admit we felt a bit disappointed. There wasn’t much of a buzz among others either.
Having visited India together a few years ago, and absolutely loved it, we had looked forward to re-living something of the indefinable spirit of the country through this uplifting story.
The play is by Deborah Moggach, and based on her novel, These Foolish Things, which inspired a hit film with a stellar cast.
The stage production also has a star cast, including Hayley Mills, Paul Nicholas and Rula Lenska, as a group of retirees who have decided, for various reasons, to live out their later years in a dilapidated hotel in India.
Shy Evelyn (Mills), hen-pecked Douglas (Nicholas) and thrice-married Madge (Lenska), along with the others begin to rub along together as they adapt to their new lives and learn more about each other and themselves.
Marlene Sidaway as retired cleaner Muriel is both touching and funny as she changes her whole outlook on life and embraces her new home. Norman (Andy de la Tour) is creepy and cocky to hide his real reason for being there. And Richenda Carey as Dorothy is coming to terms with her former life.
Designer Colin Richmond’s set evokes beautifully the faded grandeur of the hotel, but the roles of Rekha John-Cheriyan and Nishad More as its widowed owner and her son are uncomfortably stereotypical.
The script sounds dated, with corny jokes and phrases that grate, and there have been some awkward updating attempts with talk of zoom calls and woke culture.
The first half drags, even though it lasts only 50 minutes, and the longer second half seems never to capture the essence of the novel or the uplifting charm of the film.
A light sprinkling of beautiful, Indian music and dancing finally lifts the spirits.
I was disappointed because I loved the book, and the film was joyous. Even even the TV-celebrity spin-off was pleasantly watchable on occasion. Maybe you can have too much of a good thing. – JJ.
