Review of The Largest Theatre in the World: Heart to Heart

This is now available as part of a five disc boxed set of Rattigan released in his centenary year, 2011. Many of his long-running plays were adapted for television - indeed several of them are included in the boxed set - but Heart To Heart was written specifically for the small screen and took as its starting point the popular series 'Face To Face' in which each week a celebrity was 'grilled' by an interviewer in a one-on-one situation. Kenneth More, who had, of course, achieved stardom courtesy of Rattigan when he played the lead, Freddy Page, in the stage version of The Deep Blue Sea in 1952, takes the lead again albeit not quite convincing as the inquisitor with a lack of confidence and a fledgling alcoholic who is nevertheless determined to expose Labour Minister Ralph Richardson's weakness in allowing his holiday hotel bill to be paid by a third party (the play was written in 1962 but could just as easily have been written last year). Jean Marsh has a rare role as More's wife who is quite frank about using her sex appeal where it will do her the most good. Not surprisingly acting honours are lifted effortlessly by Ralph Richardson and film buffs will welcome the sight of Megs Jenkins as his wife whilst trivia buffs will have fun spotting Jean Alexander as a waitress. Essential viewing for Rattigan completists.