Evening Standard from London, Greater London, England • 183

WEDNESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 1998 23 EVENING STANDARD louiii with side dooi greenhouse flower and shrub oor Prestige Selection First knight Sir David Hare right is congratulated by Stephen Daldry Picture: DAVE BENETT 306 Theatrical coup that stages an eloquent political debate A most attractive well-appointed property expected Three! to move very quickly due to 2 Years' 0 Financed boasts panoramic views through tinted glass windows: Air-conditioned throughout' Power steering Elec windows Luxurious roomy interior entered via any one of 5 doors 4 speaker ram control comprj stereo rad cass Front fog lights Ample security inc driver airbag rem control centfockirig side impact protection Eng immobiliser Metallic Nile Blue Provence Blue or Peariescent Diablo Red exterior Body colour bumper skirts to front rear South facing pa: (sometimes) Fits garage Reception -always excellent In easy reach of well anywhere you want realty Drive semivillage benefit estoall wdation kitchen ctricoven ed rooms or garage garden with rront garden and borders jcal amenities FIRSTJSIIGHTi by Nicholas de Jongh £11995 95 from Via Dolorosa Royal Court Theatre vy SIR DAVID HARE the newly knighted dramatist took on the fearful task of playing himself last night and won no actor in the Judi Dench class or several classes below hers Yet in his first 'Professional appearance on stage "a nervous Sir David hands busy as agitated windmills manages to hold a theatre audience nicely enthralled He has of course the advantage of speaking his own words all 12000 of them in a fascinating monologue and feat of memory reporting on his visit to the preoccupied world of incompatibles that is Israel and Palestinian territory today In Via Dolorosa Hare plays one of his various selves an astute observant reporter casting a fresh mind and turn of phrase upon the relatively familiar He strolls awkwardly on stage down a long theatrical walkway to a bare centre stage and stands wreathed in unspontaneous smiles as though preparing to trade on charm The awkwardness passes With his white shirt grey trousers and sorry hair that needs a good styling he faintly preserves the aura of the brilliant school prefect going places Hare has fortunately never lost a youthful anger or passion and his eruptions of fury give the evening its theatrical dynamism He has no great new insights to offer Yet how vivid how lightly humorous how eloquent he makes his voyage of discovery He shows up the stark difference between a prospering Israel and the impoverished Palestinian lands unholy big brown storm of pure dirt greets his arrival in the Gaza strip while one Jewish settlement inside Palestinian territory proves more like the sumptuous suburbia of Bel Air or Santa Barbara than the American wild west of his imagining Gaza's pure dirt with the menacing atmosphere of a John Le Carre movie reminds him that here people precisely eight per cent of what their opposite numbers earn in Israel" Hare whose wife is a Turkish Jew whose family escaped from the Nazis is no partisan Via Dolorosa is coloured by a questing scepticism and neutrality He is only on the side of reconciliation a consummation which in Netanyahu's Israel seems a mere mirage The climax of his trip comes when visiting Shulamit Aloni "the flaming red firebrand" of the assassinated Rabin's government Hare does not change histone of voice when speaking for the individual Israelis and Arabs he meets He memorably captures however the extremity of rage and despair directed against a and greedy Israel" that has given power to its righteous clergy HARE discovers a matching sense of internal criticism when he goes to Gaza where at dusk steps back 60 years" and meets the popular politician who resigned in protest against Arafat's corruption" Stephen Daldrys production has a few intrusively theatrical touches and irritating changes of light But Sir text and performance achieve an arresting theatrical coup They show that theatre can be provocative like journalism and more durable For Hare's articulation of the outrage of Arabs and Jews in the sight of their hopeless rule shows how to put the stage back into political debate Ratings: -O adequate if good it if very good if it outstanding poor More reviews: Page 52 THE PEUGEOT 306 MERIDIAN SPECIAL EDITIONS FROM ONLY £119951 WITH 2 0 FINANCED AIR-CONDITIONING call 0345 306 306 wwwpeugeotCOuk THE DRIVE OF YOUR UFE PEUGEOT 'OFFER SUBJECT TO STATUS (OVER 18s ONLY) A GUARANTEE MAT BE REQUIRED WRITTEN QUOTATIONS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST FROM PSA FINANCE PLC VERNON HOUSE SICILIAN AVENUE LONDON WC1A 2QQ 0 FINANCE OFFER IS AVAILABLE TO RETAIL BUYERS AND NON-VAT REGISTERED BUSINESS CUSTOMERS ONLY AND APPLIES TO ALL 306 MODELS EXCEPT VERVE EQUINOX GTI-S CABRIOLET ROADSTER AND ESTATE (EXCLUDING MERIDIAN ESTATE) "TYPICAL 0 FINANCE' EXAMPLE: 30 MERIDIAN 14 LITRE PETROL DOOR WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON THE ROAD PRICE4 lilW500 DEPOSIT S0 15W7B0 APR 0 24 MONTHLY PAYMENTS £24950 TOTAL AMOUNT PAYABLE £1199500 305 MERIDIAN 14 UTRE PETROL DOOR WITH AIR CONDITIONING PRICE IS ON THE ROAD AND INCLUDES DELIVERY TO DEALERSHIP NUMBER PLATES 12 MONTHS' ROAD FUND LICENCE AND £25 GOVERNMENT FIRST REGISTRATION FEE 4306 MERIDIAN 14 UTRE PETROL IS AVAILABLE WITH SUNROOF IN UEU OF AIR CONDITIONING AT £11645 AIR CONDITIONING IS STANDARD ON 300 MERIDIAN 16 LITRE PETROL AND 10 LITRE TURBO DIESEL MODELS TO ALL PETROL MODELS SERVICE INTERVALS FOR DIESEL CARS ARE 10000 MILES OR 2 YEARS THIS APPLIES TO ALL PEUGEOT MODELS REGISTERED ON OR AFTER 1ST AUGUST 1998 PLEASE CALL 0345 SOS 306 FOR FULL DETAILS PRICES AND INFORMATION CORRECT AT TIME OF GO WO TO PRESS OFFERS APPLY TO ELIGIBLE VEHICLES SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY PURCHASED AND REGISTERED BEFORE 30TH SEPTEMBER 1998.