I have just witnessed some of the finest acting I have seen for a long time: Isobel Blayds, played by Catherine Cusack, gave up an offer of marriage to a handsome, charismatic, man some eighteen years ago in order to look after her famous father who has just died having revealed an awful secret and during that time she has withered as a person, being downtrodden, ignored, treated as a skivvy, not daring to look back and regret, when suddenly she realises that there is, after all, hope and new life. The subtlety in Cusack’s portrayal is finely detailed, so natural, yet unbelievably poignant – one of those scenes that will stay in my mind for a long time.
But she is only one of a true ensemble of seven highly talented actors who have given A A Milne’s 1921 play The Truth About Blayds, new life. First staged in the same year as Somerset Maugham’s “The Circle” as well as Noel Coward’s early play “The Young Idea” and Archer’s melodrama “The Green Goddess”, it reflects a transitional period in British theatre after World War One, balancing Edwardian elegance with post-war introspection.
In Act One, we meet the Blayds’ family: first the grandson Oliver, a cynical young man, lightly portrayed by George Rowlands, as well as his sister Septima, given a spiky performance by Lucy Jamieson. Their mother, Marion, coming over as very fussy and not at all intelligent, is given a suitably irritating interpretation by Karen Archer – how one longs to slap her face! She has spent so long letting everyone else do things for her, including making decisions that, left to her own devices, she is unable to cope with life. Her husband, William, is also a very weak character, beautifully depicted by Oliver Beamish. He has never had to work for a living, calling himself his father-in-law’s “secretary”, and content to sponge off the rest of the family!
Then there is Oliver Blayds himself, a famous poet, about whom we learn the truth during the course of the play, and whose ninetieth birthday the family is celebrating in Act One. William Gaunt is slightly too young for the role, being only eighty-eight, but, in spite of needing a wheelchair, plants himself firmly as Head of the Family – no smoking when he is around, no looking to escape in order to get “proper” jobs. Gaunt exhibits the most gorgeous, sumptuous “round” voice – the sort that Wolfit and Richardson used to have, the resonance and timbre of voice that would effortlessly reach the back of the gallery at Sunderland Empire, yet in the Finborough Theatre, it just adds to the effectiveness of the characterisation and is never overwhelming.
Into this ‘happy’ family comes debonair writer and critic A L Royce, who has come to meet Oliver on his birthday and who is able to watch the family fight amongst themselves as an outsider: a fascinating role, smoothly acted by Rupert Wickham in a very smart suit which matches his character!
David Gilmore has directed this fine play of a family in turmoil with a true understanding of how it builds to a superb yet moving climax. It is also a very cynical yet amusing look at the human psyche!
Alex Marker’s set design is imaginative and historically accurate as are Carla Joy Evans’ costumes, and thank goodness there is no music or soundscape ‘underscoring’ trying to tell the audience what to think!
For those who do not realise that Milne penned about thirty-five plays in the 1910s and 1920s, this play may well come as a revelation. I found it totally gripping and not at all dated because everyone involved believes in what they are doing. Very highly recommended!
Review by John Groves
London, 1921.
England’s most loved poet and national treasure, Oliver Blayds, celebrates his 90th birthday, surrounded by his loyal family who have devoted their lives to fulfilling his every wish.
But when a devastating secret about Oliver’s fabulously successful literary career emerges, everyone is forced to confront the truth about Blayds and the consequences of having sacrificed their lives for a lie…
Thought-provoking and wickedly funny, this rediscovered modern classic from 1921 is a compelling examination of the cult of celebrity, betrayal, and the cost of telling the truth.
Cast: Karen Archer, Oliver Beamish, Catherine Cusack, William Gaunt, Lucy Jamieson, George Rowlands, Rupert Wickham
Director – David Gilmore
Designer – Alex Marker
Lighting Designer – Jonathan Simpson
Costume Designer – Carla Joy Evans
Casting – Esther Knowles
Assistant Directors – Jillian Feuerstein and Fiona Winning
THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS
By A. A. Milne
Finborough Theatre
9 September to 4 October 2025
