CULTURE CLUB
BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO CLASSIC CINEMATIC ESCAPADE THE LAVENDER HILL MOB, JUSTIN EDWARDS SITS DOWN WITH MIRIAM BALANESCU BEFORE THE SHOW’S CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE RUN BACKSTAGE Mob Mentality
16-21 Jan
or some actors, making audiences laugh is deep in their performing DNA. One such star, Justin Edwards, is likely to have brought
a chuckle to your lips, whether playing the bumbling MP Ben Swain in The Thick of It , PC Pugh in Father Brown , or through his uncanny Jeremy Clarkson impersonation or countless panel show appearances. It’s this brand of funny which Justin brings to The Lavender Hill Mob , back together with his comedic partner in crime, Miles Jupp. Taking its story from the 1951 film starring Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway, the duo conspires to pull off a daring heist which will see them globetrot from London to Paris to Rio. “It’s nice to both be back on stage after the pandemic ruined theatre for such a long time,” says Justin, who stars as Alfred Pendlebury, a conniving artist. “It’s a nicely irrelevant production – there’s no political agenda to it. It’s an escapist bit of theatre, which is what’s wanted at the moment. People aren’t keen on a harrowing, three- hour, murder-based drama – and this is very much the opposite of that. It’s nostalgic in a way, post-war, but just a nice, silly romp.” Justin and Miles were scheduled to tour UK theatres together with the RSC when the pandemic sent their plans grinding to a halt. “We’ve done a lot of radio stuff together over the years, but we haven’t shared a stage doing a play like this before,” reflects Justin. “It’s easy to make him laugh. He’s very bad at getting the giggles. So, I try to do that as often as I can.
But it’s all friends around us – a nice cast to spend time with touring the country.” Told from a riotous bar in Rio, Henry Holland (aka Miles), now rich, recalls a grand scheme to pinch the gold bullion which he transported every day for his job. “The play takes place within the confines of this club in Rio de Janeiro, so we tell the whole story with whatever there is in the bar,” explains Justin – expect some impressively imaginative use of props. The translation from film to stage was fairly smooth, with the production remaining largely faithful to the plot. “A certain amount of dialogue doesn’t quite work on stage, so there are a few changes here and there,” says Justin, “though trying to recreate big car chases through London on a stage is always a challenge.” High-speed races re-enacted with the help of chairs and drinks trays is still low down on Justin’s list of strange theatrical experiences, however. For The Ferryman in 2019, live geese and rabbits joined actors on stage. “It had a long run in America as well and we had several different geese,” recalls Justin. “They’re quite strong animals, geese – you don’t want them to escape. Some of them enjoyed being on stage but some
clearly didn’t, so you had to make sure they weren’t getting too stressed. Aside from all the other pressures of being on stage and trying to remember what you’re doing and where you are, you also had a live goose under your arm. It was quite unpredictable what they might do or what noises they might make.” On whether Justin prefers theatre to film and television, he explains that the latter is usually tiring: “Out of 15 hours, you’ll be certainly hanging around for 12 of those. It’s a very, very slow process. The immediacy of theatre is great.” Originating in his days as a student, when he formed his own comedy troop, comedy has been integral to Justin’s career – and that’s largely down to the live audience. “It’s very rewarding,” he explains. “You can think of an idea that day and be on stage that night, trying it out.” During his stay, Justin intends to mooch around Cambridge by day, getting to grips with its heritage and history, and by night, (hopefully,) entertain audiences – despite being an “unpredictable career”, he says, it’s not a bad job. The Lavender Hill Mob will be at the Cambridge Arts Theatre from 16-21 January
18 JANUARY 2023 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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