Review of ‘Teeth ‘n’ Smiles’: “Rocky drama isn’t in tune with its characters”

London’s Duke of York’s Theatre presents the West End revival of David Hare’s 1975 play. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show to let us know if this new return rocks the stage.

This is a confusing show. Not due to its complexity, but the exact opposite. As a drama, it is that sketchy. If you think I’m exaggerating, I’ll put you in touch with my plus one — he will enjoy the attention. As the interval started, I turned my head towards him. The look in his eyes already said it all, but he didn’t hesitate to confirm. Just like me, we had little idea of what was going on.

I can summarise the plot for you. In fact, I can provide you with a detailed report of what happened in both acts. And it would probably take me two sentences to do so. That is, if I want to be thorough. It’s not because of my exceptional skills for synthesis, but because David Hare’s writing seems to go absolutely nowhere. And for the most part, it really doesn’t.

It’s 1969. A rock band gets ready for a small gig at Cambridge University. It goes without saying that they’re not at the top of their game. Yet, the lead singer is being chased for an interview — by an amateur journalist working for a college paper, that is. Nothing much follows apart from their constant waffling about pointless existential topics and fun facts. As for action or character evolution, there’s not much in stock. And the remaining scraps are so predictable and overused that it hardly constitutes a narrative.

The worst part is that this could have been easily prevented. The premise might be topical, but still robust. And had it been handled with the necessary profundity and introspection, the result would be far more stirring and significant. Everyone likes to root for an underdog. And we all have a soft spot for decadent, alcoholic divas with predatory tendencies and a complete lack of self-respect.

There could have been a transformation. Even without it, the protagonist’s antihero traits could have provided us with a poignant, heart-touching experience. That’s never the case. The personages are vapid and extremely one-dimensional. There is not enough layering to them. And if there is, we never get to explore it.

Some dialogue sections are powerful and thoughtful, but the script’s overall inconsistency prevents those occasional strokes of brilliance from ever permeating. Too often, the conversations have little substance, making the recount insipid and unappealing. Consequently, the viewer’s engagement plummets to the bare minimum. There’s no incentive to invest in this story, which gradually becomes a burdensome task.

Some excerpts are still enjoyable. Yet, the majority concern the musical renditions instead of the text, all of which are impeccably executed and perfectly capture the roaring flair of the 60s-70s underground rock. The same applies to the staging, which seamlessly mutates from a backstage area into a concert hall through simple lighting cues and a sliding platform. Uncomplicated, but extremely effective. And ultimately, it teems with dynamism.

Rebecca Lucy Taylor delivers an adequate performance in the lead role of Maggie, which flaunts vigour and presence. However, there’s not enough nuance or internalisation of the character. Therefore, she comes across as someone trying to build a chaotic façade rather than someone who actually is an absolute mess. There’s an element of flatness to her interpretation, which inevitably isn’t believable. And when that’s combined with the script’s vacuousness, her impact is practically nonexistent.

The rest of the company does a more proficient job in terms of naturalness and depth, playing their parts with ease and subtlety, despite a few lines still coming out slightly artificial. Among them, Phil Daniels earns the highest praise as the eccentric music manager, Sarrafian, in an utmost chameleonic portrayal that brims with comicality and extravagance without renouncing credibility.

In a time when the West End is welcoming many of its old friends, I wonder what the reason is for revising a work with such limited dramatic strength. It’s not the first time that Teeth ‘n’ Smiles is revived, and that may be indicative of a demographic interested in what it tells — if it tells anything at all. Yet, although most of the cast beat the band, I can’t see myself as part of the lot drumming up their support. Maggie might be facing the music as the show concludes, but not even her doomed fate strikes a chord in me.

All pictures credit to Helen Murray.

Teeth ‘n’ Smiles plays at London’s Duke of York’s Theatre until 6 June. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara