Lloyd Evans Lloyd Evans

Stage fright

Plus: the Royal Court’s adaptation of The Twits doesn’t belong on stage but Mrs Roosevelt Flies to London offers an illuminating slice of history

Declan Donnellan's Measure for Measure. Photo: Johan Persson 
issue 25 April 2015

The smash hit Matilda, based on a Roald Dahl story, has spawned a copycat effort, The Twits. Charm, sweetness and mystery aren’t Dahl’s strong points. He specialises in suburban grotesques who commit infantile barbarities. But his prose is sensational. No ‘style’ at all, just the simplicity and clarity of a master copywriter.

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