Theatre: The Importance of Being Miriam (★★★½)

Miriam Margolyes
With John Martin
Heath Ledger Theatre
April 7 - 11

She’s smarter than she first appears, is Miriam Margolyes. After a florid overture – Yes We Have No Bananas of all things – by her pianist John Martin, the “short fat” (her words) actress cruised onto Matthew Aberline’s set of chaise lounges, armchairs and oversized books. There followed a self-deprecating introduction about auditions and the limitations of her singing voice, before she led her eager audience through (I kid you not) I’m Henry VIII, I am and Daisy, Daisy.
She’d landed slap bang in the middle of their nostalgic comfort zone, but it hardly suggested the next couple of hours were likely to be either riveting or enlightening.
As it turned out, they were both.