Thursday 23 August 2012 | By Katie Cunningham
ED2012 Theatre Review: Just a Gigolo (Vanessa Rawlings-Jackson, Assembly and Lakeside Arts Centre)
‘Just a Gigolo’ is a one man show; an autobigraphical narration of the life of Angelino Ravagli, the lover of Frieda Lawrence, wife and then widow of writer D.H. Lawrence. Of course, with Maurice Roëves in the role it’s charming, touching and gently nostalgic; his performances tend to be difficult to fault. The play itself doesn’t have much to it – a narrated story partially illustrated by the erotic paintings of D.H. Lawrence himself. In lesser hands a man like Angelino could come across as pompous, unlikeable and patronising, but Roëves makes it work, and work well, turning his faults into touches of humanity that only make him easier to identify with. This isn’t fast paced or dramatic, but relaxing and melancholy.
Assembly George Square, 1-27 Aug (not 13), 3.20pm.
tw rating 4/5 | [Katherine Cunningham]