SHEPPEY, Somerset Maugham’s sardonic comedy, a modern morality play, rooted in the 1929 slump and the suffering of the poor, is successfully revived.
Maugham knew when he was writing it that it wouldn’t be popular with West End audiences in 1933 and he was right. The Christian message – giving to the poor and loving thy neighbour – did not appeal and it ran for just 83 performances.
Sheppey, a London cockney barber, is a friendly, good-humoured, generous, naive sort of chap who wants everybody to be happy. The role was created by the young Ralph Richardson and played by Bob Hoskins on television in 1980. Paul Miller’s admirable production is the first since then. And what better time to revive Maugham’s satire than during the festive season and good will towards all men?
Sheppey (John Ramm, well cast) wins £8,500 in the Irish sweepstake and decides to give it all to the poor. He says he wants to live like Jesus. His wife (Sarah Ball) is naturally upset. Christianity is not something you actually practice. His obnoxious daughter and her conceited fiancé want him certified mad so that they can have the money. The fiancé (Josh Dylan making his professional debut) is very funny when he is arguing that what Jesus said was not meant to be taken literally.
A doctor (Brendan Hooper) is keen to have Sheppey certified. As he points out: “A sane man is not going to give all his money to the poor. A sane man takes money from the poor.”