Hugh Janes - Conversations With A Stranger

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Western Daily Press, Saturday June 18 1983
It was almost Noel Coward territory.
- Two strangers met in tasteful surroundings and engaged each other in abrasive. clever conversation. It was mental flirtations in a cold climate1 a Bath arcade cafe on a February afternoon.
  He was a successful artist, immaculately dressed in British country style. She was a rich Italian, well coiffeured and clothed by chique Continental boutiques.
  John Stride oozed urbane satisfaction. Rula Lenska was a quizzical red.haired temptress.
  Conversations With A stranger (BBC-2), by Hugh Janes, with just a table and two chairs for a set had nothing to distract attention from the racy script. Every polished phrase teased and tantalised.
  It Is very rare for such fine acting to be combined with such crisp, witty dialogue. And the ending, when the strangers are revealed as husband and wife playing a favourite matrimonial game, was delivered with a conjuror's flourish.
  BOB WILLIAMS

The Guardian, Saturday June 18 1983
"...glowing craftsmanship."
- THERE WAS a moment, about half an hour into Hugh Janes's play, Conversations With A Stranger (BBC-2) when. I feared it was going to be one of those tiresome pieces built on the now well worn device of "Games people play", the central pair turning out at the end not to be strangers at all, but lovers, or even husband and wife trying to give a kick to their love life.
  I think it was the point at which she, the beautiful rich Italian, started asking him, the urbane and avowedly successful English artist, about his wife's reaction to his wanderlust, and whether he wasn't taking her for granted, and he assured her that, no, every reunion was fresh and he could tell by, the brightness of her eyes - "like yours"- that the alarm started to buzz. But the moment passed, the conversation shifted, and we were swept on by the enjoyment of the civilised, witty slightly melancholy fencing of this couple outside a patisserie in Bath.
  To say that these conversations were sprinkled with nice lines would be to do Mr Janes an injustice, for they were part of the fabric of his play. Here were two people who might indeed believe that, as the man put it, "Conversation is the essence" of what we are.
  Indeed, at first, when he found her not to speak English, he was happy to conduct the conversation solo, so long as she would listen. Next day be had a phrase book and she, reassured, came clean, In lightly accented English.
  At which point, there are those who think this reviewer should himself come clean - though surely only a stone would not purr gently at an hour With Rula Lenska, those red tresses flowing, eyes alight, looking as though even her teeth were by Gucci. All that and a light Italian accent, too. But let us not forget her partner: John Stride, doing most of the talklng and truly a man who loves conversation, ideas, and life. The two played a perfect Sonata of light and shade, of verbal shafts and caresses, to Mr Janes's delicate score.
  I particularly liked the woman's observation that a compliment given by an English male was a unique offering. "To me, you are beautiful"- it implied a compliment to himself. Thus had an Englishman in her life after her lovingly prepared feast, expressed his admiration not in praise of the food, or of the romance but in a heartfelt "God, I feel full!"
  Much later, in the last lines of the play, as she went off to catch her train, the man called after her: "Signora, you are the most beautiful woman in the world." Adding, as he slumped blissfully into has chair: "God, I feel full!"
  It was Indeed one of those plays about a husband and a wife, and games people play, but elegantly done, by author, cast, director Anthony Garner, and everyone involved in its glowing craftsmanship.
  Peter Fiddick

~ Hugh Janes ~ writer ~ author ~ Playwright ~ Screenwriter ~ Plays ~ television ~ films ~ filmwriter ~ wide blue yonder ~ the haunting ~ two of a kind ~ the perfect murder ~ deadlock ~ master forger ~ a soldier's song ~ the complete ring of the nibelung