Rhodri Miles does a marvellous impersonation of Burton’s voice – capturing his distinctive, rich tones. The monologue, written by Gwynne Edwards, is a good informative script – a resume of Burton’s life from his Welsh childhood [he was one of eleven children] to his notorious marriage to the stunning Elizabeth Taylor.
Working in a minimal space, with minimal props Rhodri Miles effectively holds our attention as we are taken on the journey of Burton’s tumultuous adult life up until his forty-sixth birthday. Of course we all want to know the salacious details of his roller coaster marriage to Taylor which mirrored the characters in Edward Albee’s play “Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf”. Written in the sixties, the play dramatically revolved around a subject which had never been aired in public before – namely how some couples can destroy themselves in a marriage. Burton and Taylor performed the characters in the film, and George and Martha summed up the alcohol fuelled relationship this couple had.
Burton’s talent – like many before him – was wasted through his addiction to alcohol. But perhaps coming from such humble beginnings and ultimately leading a celebrity life proved too difficult for him. “Fame and money are permicious” is what Rhodri Miles portrayal tells us and with his fine acting, he gave us an excellent portrayal of this complex character.
August 7,9,12,14,16,19,21,23, 11.10; £8