Jonathan Elsom at Court again

Press, 4 June 1982, Page 4

Jonathan Elsom at Court again

Jonathan Elsom is a familiar face to Christchurch theatre and television audiences, although he lives in London.

He has performed in Christchurch four times in the last six years, mainly for the Court Theatre. Last year he spent six months in the city, which he left more than 20 years ago to pursue an acting career in Britain. This year Mr Elsom was sufficiently tempted to return to the Court to play Salieri, the lead role in Peter Shaffer’s play, ; “Amadeus,” which will open tomorrow evening.

He suggested ; that the Court should produce the play. After seeing it first performed at the National Theatre in London in 1980, he immediately sent a copy of the script to the director of the Court, Elric Hopper. “It is a staggering play. ; The part of Salieri is one of the? great roles written for a man to play in the last 20 or 30 years," Mr Elsom said. The play examines the legend that ? Salieri, a court composer who became jealous lof the greater genius of Mozart, had a hand in Mozart's early death. “Ama-? deus’’, has won; numerous awards, throughout the world; ! and is. now playing to' full houses in Loridon, New York, Paris,. Sydney, and’ Melbourne. .

The; play presents taxing technical difficulties. - Mr .Elsom. who is on stage for the entire must be

transformed from 70 to 31 years of age. - - Nevertheless, he-;.believes

that the Court’s production will be “extraordinary.” He described Stuart Devenie’s direction as brilliant. One feature should be the spectacular eighteenth century costumes. Mr Elsom thought that the Court’s production would be the first to use Salieri’s own music. After searching record catalogues in London, he had found a small passage of the composer's work. A sad aspect of Mr Elsom’s visit this year was the death of his close friend, Dame Ngaio Marsh, six weeks before he arrived. They had known each other for-26 years. “Her contribution to theatre in New Zealand is just incalculable,” he said. “She was the rudder on a very, extraordinary, ship. She helped ; create, the atmosphere which would .finally lead to a really strong professional theatre not only in Christchurch but throughout New Zealand,” he said. Mr Elsom is unsure of? what he will’ do ' after his Court engagement. -He' may be offered work in Australian theatres before he returns to LondonTelevision viewers may see him ini“Lady Killers,” a series of reconstructions of famous murder/trials, which may be shown ’ ih ; . New Zealand soon. He has appeared in a new series of “Crown Court," arid in the third series of “To -the Manor Born.”