Review: The Duke in the Cupboard at South Shields Customs House

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Benwell’s Most Wanted

Appears at The Customs House

The Duke in the Cupboard

South Shields Customs House

Until Saturday 10^th October 2015

 

Playwright Susan Wear digs deep into the true story of one of the world’s greatest art theft mysteries after it is released from the National Archives in 2012. So did a retired bus driver from Benwell steal the latest star picture to hang in the National Gallery? And what was his motivation? 

1961 was a different time. You could retire with a pension but the perks of old age were few and far between. No free bus passes or cheap seats at the cinemas for the generation that fought in the wars. They even had to pay for their TV licences. Such a concept seems to have outraged Benwell resident Kempton Bunton so much he decides to make a stand. Despite only watching ITV he finds himself foul of the law by not buying a TV licence. Refusal to pay the resultant fine puts him in prison for a short time. Unrepentant, he still wants to make a protest when he stops his incarceration.

When the government finds the £140 000 to secure a painting of the Duke of Wellington for the nation Kempton is outraged. This puts him on collision course with not just the police but also the British establishment.

The play centres around Kempton and his long suffering wife May. Both parts benefit from the superb acting of Graham Overton and Zoe Lambert. Graham plays the cantankerous Kempton who clearly loves his wife but has a real bee in his bonnet about what is right. Likewise Zoe shows how strong the lady in his life had to be. Their stage chemistry was a real highlight of the show.

Supporting Graham and Zoe is Stephen Gregory as their son John and Tom Machell as the young reporter Bill Chester. BBC Look North’s Jeff Brown also pops onto the tv screen to report the national news which was a nice touch.

The change of pace as the show broke the fourth wall at the end of the first half is a masterstroke by director Katy Weir. The entry of Adam Donaldson and Scott Ellis lightened the mood as the interval approached.

The Duke In The Cupboard is yet another premiere at South Shields Customs House that captures the stories and the spirit of this region. Their work in this regard needs to be acknowledged and the theatre continues to play a significant role in Tyneside’s cultural scene.

The Duke is a warm, light hearted play that highlights the frustrations of the individual battling against the system. Susan Wear should be very proud of her first play and Executive Director Ray Spencer needs commending for spotting the talent.

See the show before Saturday - It’d be criminal to miss it!

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for the North East Theatre Guide from Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo

Read the original North East Theatre Guide preview: http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/preview-duke-in-cupboard-at-south.html

Tickets:

Tickets are available from The Customs House Box Office, South Shields, tel 0191 4541234 or buy tickets on line at http://www.customshouse.co.uk/whats-on/Theatre/1933/the-duke-in-the-cupboard

Preview: Duke in the Cupboard at South Shields Customs House

Follow North East Theatre Guide on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NETheatreGuideand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NETheatreGuide

STORY OF NOTORIOUS ARTHEIST - PREMIERE AT THE CUSTOMS HOUSE

The Duke in the Cupboard

South Shields Customs House

Wednesday 7^th – Saturday 10^th October 2015

The true story of one of the world’s greatest art theft mysteries is finally being told in a play – 50 years after a Newcastle man confessed to stealing the masterpiece.

The play has been written by Susan Wear, from Jarrow, South Tyneside, who became fascinated with the story in 2012 when secret Director of Public Prosecution papers relating to the case were finally released from the National Archives.

She spent two years researching and writing the play ‘The Duke in the Cupboard’ and is the first she has had produced.  It will be performed at The Customs House, South Shields, from Wednesday October 7 to Saturday October 10.

In 1961 Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington was stolen from the National Gallery in London.  Four years later, Kempton Bunton, a 61-year-old unemployed former bus driver from Benwell, Newcastle, confessed to the theft. 

Scotland Yard detectives found it hard to believe the overweight, bespectacled Geordie was the criminal mastermind who had outwitted the gallery’s sophisticated security and bamboozled Scotland Yard detectives, taunting them with ransom letters in the national newspapers.

The case sparked a national sensation and became so famous it featured briefly in Dr No, the first James Bond film, in 1962.

“I felt compelled to keep going and uncover the incredible twists and turns of this story much of which has not been told before,” said Susan, who works for the Port of Tyne.  “It is about one man taking on the establishment – the police, the art world, the Government, and the press - for a good cause.  His long-suffering wife supported him through it all and the play is about her story too.”

The play is directed by Katy Weir, joint artistic director of OddManOut, a new-writing company based in Darlington. She was thrilled to be asked to direct 'The Duke in the Cupboard' and still finds it hard to believe it was a true story.   “Susan has done a brilliant job capturing the essence of a fascinating piece of North-East history,” she said.  “This play has a little bit of everything:  love, upset, anger, intrigue, and a sprinkle of comedy.  I hope it gets the audience it deserves”.

Ray Spencer MBE, Director of The Customs House, said: “This is an incredible story and we are delighted to give this piece of new writing its first airing at The Customs House, and I think our audiences are going to enjoy it.”

Tickets:

Tickets are available from The Customs House Box Office, South Shields, tel 0191 4541234 or buy tickets on line at http://www.customshouse.co.uk/whats-on/Theatre/1933/the-duke-in-the-cupboard