An international star musician struck down in her prime by multiple sclerosis attends the surgery of an eminent psychiatrist at the suggestion of her equally gifted musician husband. What ensues is two hours of moving personal revelations, expertly delivered by an international star cast: Juliet Stevenson is Stephanie the (former) concert violinist and Henry Goodman the heavily German-accented Dr Feldmann. This two-hander, an Almeida production currently touring, is powerful and well-crafted if at times somewhat facile.
     The largely taciturn Feldmann attempts to draw out Stephanie’s innermost fears and joys – or is he projecting something on to her that isn’t there? Does she really think her husband will tire of her? Will she give in to her desperation? And what is the purpose of her life, now and before? Gradually deteriorating and in a motorised wheelchair, Stephanie is sometimes compliant, sometimes defiant but always determined – if not towards making the most of her life given her intolerable condition, then towards ending it.
     Stephanie’s extended story of how she came to play the violin, culminating in a description of what music itself means to her, was a high point in the drama, which is to some extent based on the life of cellist Jacqueline du Pré. Substitute the cello for the violin, and a pianist husband for the composer in the play, and I suspect the there would be complaints about Duet for One as there were about the controversial film Hilary and Jackie. The treatment is at times melodramatic and several exchanges are played for laughs, which is at odds with the weighty subject matter.
     Realism is compromised for dramatic effect when Feldmann goes on the attack, accusing Stephanie of giving up on life, and telling her to “get off her arse” (would a real psychiatrist do this?) Of course, they both know that she will only get worse, and that anti-depressants can only do so much to help. The acting is for the most part faultless, although some of Stevenson’s exaggerated motions of the MS sufferer are perhaps too calculated to be fully believable.
     A mention must go to violinist Thomas Gould, whose exquisite playing of Bach’s solo sonatas and partitas was featured between the scenes.
Chris Brody