"The Cat's Meow" by Steven Peros.

Nottingham Lace Market Theatre.

Sex, drugs and the Charleston! I thought that may get your attention. I love it when I get to see a play that I haven't seen before, and this fits the bill perfectly.

Based on the true story of a mysterious Hollywood death, "The Cat's Meow" offers a fascinating cross section of Jazz Era characters who intersect for one notorious weekend on board William Randolph Hearst's yacht in 1924. The play was adapted for film in 2002, with a screenplay by the author, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, and starring Kirsten Dunst, Eddie Izzard, and Edward Herrmann. The film I've not seen, by choice, because I wanted this out to be my first vision.

Weekend guests include Charlie Chaplin, who has been carrying on with movie star Marion Davies, a secret known to Davies' paramour, the married, and much older Hearst, and movie mogul Thomas Ince, who is hoping to revive his flagging fortunes by forming a partnership with Hearst. Playing with fire, Ince tries to convince Hearst that he can handle both Marion's movie career... and her private life as well.

Jealousy, infidelity and gossip is followed by good old fashioned Hollywood cover ups, bribery and oaths of silence after thirteen become twelve!

The storyline lends itself so well to celluloid, and I'm sure that I'm not the only one who loves to lift the lid of the squeaky clean and lovable stars of the day, whether that is today or back in the 1920's. and discover who and what they are really like behind the image projected to their adoring fans. Lasting just two hours, with interval, there's no slacking in relation to the lead up of what happens, the characters, what is thought to have happened and the aftermath; and this fleetness of story telling had me hung on every word and action of these characters.

Micah Darmola plays William Randolph Hearst. I actually didn't recognise until about a quarter of an hour in thanks to the wig and his accent. Brilliant characterisation of the hard-nosed Hearst who believed that he could either frighten anyone into silence or buy their silence, for whatever reasons he required. I am sure that it's only the size of his cheque book that his younger, glamorous arm candy, Marion, was interested in when deciding between him and Chaplin. A nasty tongue on Hearst who often derided his guests, especially the guest of honour, and we get to see a dangerous jealous streak, brilliantly built up by Micah.

 

Mark Anderson portrayed Tom Ince, the birthday boy, and the reason for Hearst to throw his party aboard his vessel. Ince was known as the "Father of the Western" and had a big reputation in the movie industry, and his idea was to keep getting bigger, with a little help from Hearst. Like every actor in this classy ensemble piece of theatre, Mark played an absolute blinder with this role.

Will White plays George Thomas, Ince's Business Manager, who also acts as an escort to Margaret Livingston.

 

Holly Cooke portrayed Marion Davies, Hearst's mistress. Glamour is the order of the day and boy did Holly get to wear some glamorous costumes in this role. The "will she", "won't she" situation with Chaplin had you on tenterhooks throughout, feeding the notebooks of the gossip columnist on board and enraging a certain other person into the bargain.

 

Alison Hope is Elinor Glyn, the novelist and scriptwriter. Alison is one of so many highlights in this play as she acts as narrator with some gorgeously juicy lines - thanks to the author - delivered in a way that she showed exactly what she was doing, Elinor that is, and the effect that the lines would have on certain people, all delivered with a twinkle of the eye and a wry smile. I am a big fan of Alison's and this is on a par with her portrayal of  Florence Foster Jenkins in "Glorious" back in 2017, which I simply adored.

 

Jake Black plays Charlie Chaplin. I have learned so much about Chaplin from talking to Jake and watching him play "The Tramp", a term he also dedicates to one of the characters in this play, maybe for a different reason, methinks! Chaplin was not the lovable character he portrayed in his movies, in fact the complete opposite, and this play highlights what a B*****d he was behind the persona on screen. On his entrance most of the audience will see him from behind in silhouette, and you instantly know his character, something that you may have taken longer to surmise when he got to the stage due to something we all know Chaplin for. It takes a talented actor to evoke either good or bad feelings towards a character, and this shows Jake to be a marvellous character actor.

 

Rosie Wallace plays the gossip columnist Louella Parsons, or "Lolly" to her friends. Wonderfully portrayed, especially when you see some of the tactics that she brings into play to extract juicy information from some of the guests. Louella really wants to have her own gossip column in Hearst's paper, and she sees the perfect chance to get what she wants, completely without scruples. Looks like times have never changed with media folk!

 

Ksenia Tsymbal plays Margaret Livingstone, the silent film actress who wasn't as silent in her real life dramas. Margaret is having a secret affair with one of the characters on the boat which does not stay secret for long. 

Paul Spruce played Joseph Willicombe, Hearst's right hand man when it came to clearing up messes, or getting the message across to people who thought that they could cross Hearst. Paul certainly looked the part as this menacing character.

Bernard Whelan plays Dr Goodman, the screenwriter and physician. Always handy, you'd think, to have a Doctor on board a sailing vessel, especially where patient confidentiality is concerned!

Linda Hoyland doubles her roles as Mrs Goodman, wife of the good doctor - who by the way has a few great lines in the play, and Mrs Ince who we see in the second half of the play, and wife of Tom Ince.

Chloe Davie is Ceilia Moore and Chloe Martin is Didi Dawson who make for a lovely pairing, who also love a good bit of juicy gossip. along with delivering some juicy lines themselves.

Directed by Charlotte Hukin. This is a labour of love for Charlotte, she was telling me a few weeks ago, and it shows. The play, and the characters hold your attention every second that you're watching, making this short piece of theatre seem even shorter.

The set design will take your breath away, especially as at the start the majority of the set is hidden while Elinor delivers the opening lines, setting the story and scene so perfectly. I am not going to give any spoilers, although you'll see part of the set in the photographs accompanying the review. Think "Anything Goes" and you'll be in the right area. The Lace Market Theatre have had some gorgeous sets, designed by some immensely talented people, and this is right up there with many of my favourites. Guy Evans has designed the most spiffingly perfect set, and when fully revealed I can guarantee an intake of breath at its' beauty.

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• Lighting Design is by Amy Bermudez. There are several sections that the lighting is really important for directing your attention to what is being said and by whom. Great job.
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• Sound Design is by Fred Baker and Jude Skeet. The soundscape places you well and truly out to sea with the nautical sounds. plus there's those wonderful Charleston rhythms to get your toes tapping.
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• Stage Managed by Jae Marriott with assistance by Laurence Bembridge, Andrea Pykett and Rachel Barlow, who were also suitably costumed while moving items and props (Fayde Judd, Lesley Brown and Wendy Silver) to and from the set.

  

  
  
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• Wardrobe is thanks to Amanda Pearce and Max Bromley. Yet again another incredible set of costumery (is there such a collective name for costume), which immediately placed you in the era of style and glamour. The monochrome costumes were perfect to compliment the set design as well.

A mention also goes to Chris Sims for his role in this production. I won't say what role he undertook, as I don't want to give any spoilers to one particular scene!

This is what ensemble theatre is all about where story telling and character acting is so to the fore that it is in danger of toppling off the stage. 2026 is going to be an amazing year for local theatre if what I've seen locally in the last week or so is anything to go by. Congratulations to all involved in this production, it's a definite must see for anyone who loves great theatre or just peeling back the onion layers of celebrity to discover what lies beneath.

"The Cat's Meow" is the dog's dangly bits and is at the Nottingham Lace Market Theatre until Saturday 17 January.

Photography by Kathryn Edwards.