Petherbridge is both vulnerable and commanding … Like Shakespeare’s great work, the play is about frailty and the deterioration of the mind but, unlike the eponymous king, Petherbridge is a survivor. He has recovered not only to tell his story but to crawl around under the stage and generally chuck himself around a bit. This autobiography speaks to us all: a stroke need not be the end of one’s personality, identity or indeed one’s active life. … Gloriously silly, often touching but never less than intelligent, My Perfect Mind is one of those rare and remarkable pieces of theatre you never want to end. Bum on a Seat (Read full review)
Told by An Idiot’s “My Perfect Mind” stuns The Door of The Birmingham Rep, with its simplistic yet meaningful set and with its mastermind-like quality of acting. … Petherbridge’s story shone brightly on stage, as he played himself and the situation so vividly, it appeared we were witnessing the event real-time. … We were left wishing we could hear Edward perform “King Lear” for real. The dramatic device Edward used with splashing paint over the wall was epic, as he belted Lear’s storms speech. The Gay UK (Read full review)
Petherbridge, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Lord Wimsey in the BBC adaptations of Dorothy L. Sayers’s novels, has elegance and a remarkable stage presence. … The surreal action, with its underlying truth, makes for a compelling performance. … It reveals Petherbridge’s craft in such a charming, brave way that we cannot help but be moved by it. … My Perfect Mind is a gracefully honest, whimsical portrayal of a difficult time in Edward Petherbridge’s life. It is a piece of devised theatre – clever and courageous theatre which sheds light on his recovery from a potentially life destroying condition. Stage Talk Magazine (Read full review)
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| Curtain call Tuesday night, Birmingham Rep. |
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| View from the top of the new Birmingham Library, next door to the Rep. Photo by EP |
Next week My Perfect Mind travels to North Yorkshire and the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Hear Edward and Paul Hunter talking on BBC Radio York yesterday afternoon (interview begins at 3:12:10 ).