Summer 1954 at Chichester Festival Theatre: REVIEW - one of our greatest actresses dazzles in period play

To see any performance starring Sian Phillips is a privilege. I was part of that generation who first became acquainted with her sublime acting in the 1976 BBC adaptation of I Claudius.

As Livia she was mesmerising. Nearly 50 years later – this time as Mrs Railton-Bell – she continues to dazzle.

Her appearance alongside the extraordinarily understated Nathaniel Parker makes in itself for an irresistible evening’s entertainment. But to see them in a revival of Rattigan’s two plays is perfection.

Of course, Rattigan has come in and out of fashion. In the mid 20th century he was one of our most popular playwrights. But subsequent audiences in search of greater drama on stage have found his work rather tame.

But these two plays are great examples of the torment that lies at the heart of so much of his work – and his own life too – of failed relationships, of sexual repression, and of society’s failure at the time to understand the homosexuality which defined him.

On the surface, both plays are set in cosy middle-class England – defined by seaside hotels and small private schools. But beneath the surface lies all human nature – whether it is the indiscretions of Major Pollock in Table Number Seven or the realisation of Andrew Crocker-Harris in The Browning Version that neither his career as a schoolmaster or his role as a husband have been a success. Both parts are played superbly Nathaniel Parker.

So Crocker-Harris, in his last days as a teacher, clings to a token gift that suggests one possible sign of respect from a pupil while his wife (Lolita Chakrabarti) conducts a relationship with one of his colleagues.

But there is redemption too for both these characters despite, in the first, the abject disapproval of Mrs Railton-Bell.

Times change but because these plays are rooted in human vulnerability they remain fresh for a new generation and this revival is hugely welcomed not least for the outstanding performances led by the unassailable Sian Phillips.