On July 20, 1957, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan gave a speech at a Conservative party rally. He told the assembled constituents, “Let us be frank about it—most of our people have never had it so good.” Some 50 years on, many in England may still have it very good (looking at the pound-to-the-dollar exchange rate could make a Yankee weep). But in England for a spring visit to the theaters, and I did not have it good at all. A nasty flu set me sniffling and near delirious as I shambled from comedy to musical to drama, including a play about the redoubtable Macmillan. Yet even in such a weakened condition, there was much to enjoy: Howard Brenton’s Macmillan play, Simon Russell Beale’s grin, playwright Roy Williams fluent dialogue, and the ice creams invariably sold at the interval—all were... More >>>