Touching look at eccentric father

A Voyage Around my Father
Donmar Warehouse
By Sharon Garfinkel

John Mortimer’s affectionate play of growing up with his late father, who turned blind in mid-life, provides a fascinating study in father-son relations. Under Thea Sharrock’s composed, yet somewhat slow production, Derek Jacobi gives an illuminating performance as Mr Mortimer senior.
We watch him turn from a mild-mannered man to one given to fits of rage.
His family adapt to his change of physical circumstances but surprisingly his blindness is never mentioned within the Mortimer clan.
Instead he is allowed to rule the roost. He admonishes his son for going to school as “life is a closed book to schoolmasters”.
Dominic Rowan remains on stage acting as John Mortimer and narrator throughout.
John’s younger self is portrayed by a different boy actor each night to show what it was like living with an eccentric father who was prone to making hilarious observations – “when you’ve been troubled by a wasp, don’t you just love a fly?”
Mortimer’s hardships of learning, the facts of life at his boarding school and living with an irritating father to whom he remained devoted are both touching.
Mr Mortimer the elder encouraged all those close to him to “paint a picture” of everyday things that his eyes could not permit him to see and in Sharrock’s charming production, and this is vividly achieved.

Until August 5
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