Review: Off The Kings Road, Jermyn Street Theatre (co-starring Jeff Bridges)
05/06/2016
Bit of a coup getting Hollywood legend Jeff Bridges in your play. Sort of. He appears in pre-recorded Skype calls with Matt (Michael Brandon) who is staying in a small, London town house hotel off the Kings Road.
Matt is a recently widowed American taking a break in London - a city he visited with his wife - and Bridges plays his therapist Dr Kozlowski. He is lonely and Kozlowski encourages him to fill his days with activity, things that he enjoys doing. Matt seeks companionship and intimacy with a Russian prostitute Sheena (Diana Dimitrovici) who has boyfriend problems - the blow up doll he bought just doesn't scratch the itch.
The hotel where he is staying is like something out of mildly amusing sitcom (including the presumably unintended wobbly set). Freddie (Luke Pitman) is the camp concierge and down the corridor from Matt is long term hotel guest Ellen Mellman (Cherie Lunghi). Ellen is a slightly crazy cat lady who's aged feline pet Christina keeps going missing. She also has a bit a soft spot for Matt.
As bitter sweet comedies go this doesn't quite work. There are some good individual elements but there are too many stereotypes at play and Neil Koenisberg's dialogue just isn't strong enough to balance it.
No doubt having Bridges on the poster will draw attention and it is worth seeing for him if only to wonder at how brilliant he would be properly treading the boards. I'm giving it three stars.
It 90 minutes without interval and is on at the Jermyn Street Theatre until June 25.