 | | Sir John Mortimer |
Mortimer's Miscellany is an evening with the writer and raconteur Sir John Mortimer, for his witty and sometimes somewhat sideways look at life. I had the huge pleasure of seeing Mortimer’s Miscellany, and I tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth when I say that it was a hugely entertaining evening. Sir John's jokes are original and beautifully crafted; his stories are by turns funny and touching. As a result his show is a genuine delight. Many people will recognise Sir John Mortimer as the creator of Rumpole of the Bailey. As well as being the author of Rumpole (a collection which includes three omnibus editions), Mortimer has written many other books and done many other things. He has published stories from his childhood in A Voyage Around My Father, and is also a distinguished playwright and the author of numerous film scripts. Mortimer wrote Cider with Rosie and Zeffirelli's Tea With Mussollini, which starred Dame Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. | "As a barrister, Mortimer speaks from the stage with the ease of a man who is used to being in front of people who are uncertain what to think" | |
As well as all this, Mortimer is a barrister in his own right. As a barrister, Mortimer speaks from the stage with the ease of a man who is used to being in front of people who are uncertain what to think and persuading them of the truth - as he sees it, of course! His stories from his days in court are sometimes worryingly hilarious. Mortimer gives a tremendous account of a man who tried to murder his wife six times, each time without success. Eventually the husband went to the police to confess, as his wife had not even noticed any problems with their relationship or his attempts to kill her. His confession rather sadly highlighted the fact that the police took far more notice of him than she did! Mortimer is wheelchair-bound now, but with his three assistants he recounts and illustrates his stories, jokes and poetry. Mortimer's Miscellany begins with a rendition of W.H. Auden's 'As I Walked Out One Evening', and this moving poem sets the tone for the evening. The show is interspersed with more snippets of poetry, excerpts from Mortimer's work, and stories from his childhood, all woven together with music. I became a fan of Mortimer’s work through Rumpole, for which he has written three omnibus editions of the Rumpole stories. Mortimer’s most recent book is Rumpole Rests His Case. After watching Mortimer’s Miscellany, I sincerely hope that Sir John doesn't rest his case for some time to come. Robin Lewis | 
