Adaptor: Alison Skilbeck
Director: Lucy Skilbeck
The show opens with Eleanor Roosevelt (Alison Skilbeck), aged 78 on 26th October in 1942; then switches to October 1942 when she came to London, to visit US troops and see how the British women were coping with war. Skilbeck plays 27 characters changing from one to another effortlessly. Many characters played are the famous people she met and the experiences she had with them.
This production covers much more, such as the unconventional relationship between her and her husband. It is no mean task for one actor to hold an audience’s attention for 90 minutes, but Skilbeck does. She says’” I often feel I have failed “an example of how there were 19 marriages between her six children, but she achieved an incredible amount. A political figure, diplomat, activist and very vocal in supporting the civil rights movement. She was called ‘a n***er lover’ as she championed their case, such as getting more equal treatment for black soldiers and insisted benefits be equally extended to Americans of all races.
She is the longest serving 1st lady covering four terms of her husband’s Franklin D Roosevelt’s presidency; the first 1st Lady to write a monthly magazine column and host a radio show, but to know more you must go and see the show, you will not regret it; it is a very true representation of those times; women were regarded as ‘the little women’ but even Winston Churchill said of her visit “You have left golden footprints behind”.
A strange coincidence that the director Lucy Skilbeck, is no relation to the performer. Skilbeck has a career nearly as profuse as Eleanor’s. An Offie nominated performer, best female performer for this role, an Associate RADA teacher, specialising in directing Shakespeare and has countless TV, theatre, Netflix and radio credits. While many have much experience it does not always follow they are good at their job, Skilbeck is excellent at hers.
The simple set serves the show well but the occassional small picture on some of the rear bunting cannot be seen, so serves no purpose.
“It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself”. Of war she said “ What was it all for?”It is wonderful that the Roosevelt Estate gave special permission to use Mrs Roosevelt’s writings, so enabling this show to be seen, which it so thoroughly deserves.
Runs till 29 August 2022
