Theatre review: The Interview

Last year's season of The Crown had an episode dedicated to the Princess of Wales' notorious interview with Martin Bashir, and the dubious techniques by which he secured it, so when the Park Theatre announced its 2023 season would include a new play on the subject I did wonder what more (apart from the hoped-for box office clout anything Lady Di-related still has) Jonathan Maitland's The Interview had to offer. Considerably less, as it turns out. In 1995, following a TV interview with her husband, Diana (Yolanda Kettle) is fielding offers from various interviewers who want her side of the story. Moving to America and doing a tell-all with Oprah Winfrey is an option, but that doesn't seem like something a member of that family would do. Instead she goes for the BBC's reputable journalism, specifically Panorama reporter Bashir (Tibu Fortes,) because her brother thinks she can trust him.

But Bashir has duped her brother: Matt Weisler (Ciarán Owens) is a graphic design genius but he doesn't want to act big-headed about it, so agrees to forge some documents for Bashir that'll gain the Earl's trust.

With the support of dim-witted butler Paul Burrell (Matthew Flynn) and against the advice of her canny friend Luciana (Naomi Frederick) Diana gives the interview. As famous as some of the quotes from it are the Princess' mannerisms and vocal delivery, and that's what Kettle channels for her entire performance: Honestly I'm not sure to what extent she's actually trying to make the performance, all fluttering voice and head permanently welded to one shoulder, funny; given the play is purportedly taking the subject seriously, I'm guessing it's meant to be slightly tongue-in-cheek but essentially earnest.

What seems clearer is that the play largely sees Diana as a paranoid, moody simpleton who needs to be constantly reassured she's a great genius with an affinity for spirituality (/horoscopes.) Fortes' Bashir is shown as being pretty amoral in his pursuit of the scoop. Both portrayals make it hard to swallow Burrell's finger-wagging lecture as the play closes: It's a bit rich trying to paint Bashir as the fall-guy when the whole play's shown him acting alone; or bemoaning Diana being silenced, when Maitland's undermined her words throughout.

This lecture is part of a protracted final 20 minutes in which it feels like the already underpowered story has completely run out of steam, and Maitland starts padding the running time - a spurious suggestion that the interview is entirely responsible for 21st century Fake News is the main thrust, but at some point it feels like the playwright is putting down on paper his general musings on what kind of themes the play might be about, and just hoping something sticks. Michael Fentiman's production seems to know the in-the-round show is visually bland and tries to add some motifs like actors suddenly going into slo-mo, or helping each other in and out of their coats onstage, but they're just a bit weird and don't mean anything. For better or worse, and whether entirely by her own will or through coercion, Diana said a lot of things on TV in 1995. The Interview has far less to say.

The Interview by Jonathan Maitland is booking until the 25th of November at Park Theatre 200.

Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes including interval.

Photo credit: Pamela Raith.