Allegra hears music everywhere. At the most inappropriate moments she bursts into song, much to the embarrassment of her long-suffering brother, Ronen. Concerned for her welfare, he hires a housekeeper to look after her, but Allegra's irrepressible enthusiasm continues to land her in hot water with neighbours, authority figures and eventually the police. The play asks whether Allegra's sunny, unconventional outlook is really the problem, or whether the fault lies with a society that has little patience for those who refuse to conform. Stories of the "wise fool" have a long literary pedigree, stretching from Erasmus' Praise of Folly and Cervantes' Don Quixote through Dostoevsky's The Idiot to Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Peter Quilter's Allegra most closely resembles Elwood P. Dowd from the 1950 film Harvey: a gentle, optimistic soul whose very existence challenges the values of a joyless world. This is familiar territory, and the audience is never in much doubt about where its sympathies should lie. Yet the play occasionally treads a delicate line. The question of whether Allegra is simply eccentric, or is in fact suffering from a more serious mental condition, sometimes threatens to pull the piece away from the light comic register it seeks to maintain. Quilter walks this tightrope with varying degrees of success, and some audience members may find the balance uneasy. What ultimately carries the evening is Maureen Lipman. This is very much a star vehicle, and she seizes it with relish. Lipman sings, dances, teases and charms her way through the role, combining comic timing with a mischievous twinkle that makes Allegra impossible to resist. Even when the script wobbles, she keeps it aloft through sheer force of personality. John Middleton provides excellent support as Ronen, convincingly torn between exasperation, affection and genuine concern for his sister's future. Elizabeth Bower brings warmth and intelligence to the caregiver Anna, while Bailey Patrick creates an endearing stage presence as Officer Rogers. Allegra may not always be sure-footed, but thanks to Lipman's exuberant performance it remains engaging, funny and unexpectedly touching. Like its heroine, it wins us over not through logic but through sheer charm.
Rated: ★★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Marc Brenner
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