Want to buy some illusions, Slightly used, just like new? Such romantic illusions ……….. so goes the refrain to a Marlene Dietrich song….if you do then make sure you see Peter Groom in his one (wo)man show DIETRICH – NATURAL DUTY
It is 1942, on the battlefields of North Africa, in a gold sequin gown, Marlene Dietrich takes to the stage to launch her own offensive against the German Reich. For the next three years, she would fight the war her way, with an irresistible mix of songs, sequins, sex and sympathy.
An intoxicating mix of theatre, cabaret and drag, this new one-(wo)man show by Peter Groom, created for VAULT Festival 2018, uses music, stories and songs – including Falling in Love Again, Lili Marlene, Where have all the Flowers gone?, Boys in the Backroom, Lola, The Laziest Girl in Town – to reveal a Hollywood icon’s extraordinary commitment to duty.”
Peter Groom has been teasing us with 2 trailers for his show on Instagram and I have to say they captivated me with memories of seeing Dietrich at the Queens Theatre in 1964 and 1972….that gown so brilliantly re-conceived by Kathleen Nellis – a triumph in its self! The lighting throughout was very evocative and designed by Chantal Wilson moving the story from anecdote to anecdote, the sound complimenting every nuance of the performance. In such a short time (60 mins) it manages to cover her discovery to Hollywood and the length of the war.
There are moments when you can believe/imagine that it is Dietrich standing there especially in a German song towards the end made popular by Richard Tauber and one of her favorite ones, Das Lied ist Aus (Frag nicht, warum ich gehe) this was one of many poignant moments. What a wonderful actor, singer….creator Peter Groom is and I look forward to seeing more from him in the future…..especially this show in a different venue as it is a limited run and it deserves a wider audience.
Created and performed by Peter Groom. Co-written by Oliver Gully. Directed by Bethany Pitts.
Review by CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: PETER HARRINGTON
Dietrich - Natural Duty runs at the Vault Festival,
Leake Street, London SE1
from Wednesday 24 January to Saturday 28 January at 7.45pm