Last Saturday saw actor Chris Hudson put on his one-man show, Nothing Great is Easy, at Jesus Green Lido … and what a fantastic performance it was!
The sell-out performance tells the remarkable story of the intrepid Captain Webb, the first person to swim the English Channel. In this heroic story of ups and downs, Chris brought Captain Webb to life, diving into the water and delivering his lines in and out of the pool!
And after all the preparations and practice, it was heart-warming to see this glowing article on the CambsNews website. In the review of the sell-out show, the reviewer wrote:
“Director Rosina Piovani’s simple but effective staging made excellent use of the Lido setting, with Webb frequently diving into the pool to demonstrate his technique, holding his breath beneath the water then reemerging to seamlessly continue his narration. Far from being a gimmick, it gave a very real sense of Webb’s physical prowess, and dogged determination, and delighted the sell-out audience who, unprompted, cheered and applauded the intrepid hero.
“In this respect it is testimony to the acting skills of Hudson who wholly inhabited his character from the moment he stepped on stage, dressed in an authentic swimming costume of the period and sporting a resplendent moustache. It was as if Captain Webb himself had been brought back to life, such was the conviction with which he played the part. In Hudson’s accomplished portrayal, Webb’s Victorian stiff upper lip occasionally betrayed the slightest of trembles, subtly highlighting the complex psychology of the man beneath the surface.“
Read the full review here
We heartily agree!
A massive thanks to everyone who came along to the play, part of the Lido’s Centenary Celebrations, and special thanks of course to Chris Hudson and his Historyonics Theatre Company, as well as director Rosina Piovani and producer Antony Quinn for putting on such a fabulous show!
Below are a few more pics from the evening, as well as a shot of Chris, Rosina and Antony!
