By Marko Domazet
Life is a jungle. Some of us take it on with a guide, others are fortunate enough to be carried through it, and there are those lucky few that tackle it on their own, come out the other end victorious and find some sequined clothing en route! Joan Collins, our dear readers, definitely belongs to the latter camp.
During her 90-minute one-woman show One Night With Joan, we are taken on an anecdotal journey of her life, sharing the highs, the lows, the hilarious and the oh-so camp. Fabulously draped in sequined couture, her finest wigs and sharp-as-razor tongue, Joan Collins opens up about her life on and off stage, showing us the hard work that she has had to put in in order to become La Collins we all know (and adore!) today. There is talk of her upbringing, the early days at R.A.D.A. (how frightfully posh!), the Hollywood years, the Hollywood men, the shoulder pads, her aversion to lily ponds and much more.
The monologue is backed up with various video clips and she goes through it all – the good, the bad, the really bad, the really good and THE ALEXIS! Without going into too much detail and spoiling the fun, you can expect an entertaining evening of tales that mention everyone from Elvis, to Bette Davis, to Marilyn, to Ronald Reagan – I seem to remember there is even mention of France’s Hollande. Oui, La Collins rattles through them all, but makes sure that her own story is always firmly in focus. There is even time for an audience Q&A at the end.
There is no doubt that Joan Collins is a fascinating woman, but what’s most fascinating is the fact that they don’t make them like that anymore. Hard working, hard playing, funny and fabulous; she tells her stories in a fun, light-hearted and accessible way. Yes, this is a show about a career in entertainment, this is a show about name dropping, but above all this is a show about a woman that firmly believes that the harder you work, the luckier you get… and let’s face it, if you like the sight of Linda Evans getting the wig beaten off of her, this is the forum for it. Catch Joan while you can… and dress nicely (there were a lot of disappointing outfits in the crowd tonight).
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Joan Collins: One Night With Joan
Directed by Percy Gibson
Production Design by Oliver Sones
Leicester Square Theatre, London
Sunday February 2nd to Sunday February 9th
Tickets: £20.00 – £50.00
Box office: 08448 733433
or online at www.leicesterquaretheatre.com