Bringing down the spouse
Berwin Leighton Paisner’s managing partner Neville Eisenberg may think twice about initiating any friendly banter with fellow arts lovers after his usually unflappable composure deserted him on a recent night out.
During a visit to the theatre, the affable Eisenberg got chatting with one of his neighbouring theatregoers. After exchanging the usual pleasantries in the interval, the two men got down to the nitty-gritty of critiquing the play so far.
Eisenberg took the lead, launching into a blistering attack on the play and its star, actress Sinead Cusack, all the while ignoring the rather frenetic and increasingly painful signals from his companion (as she kicked him in the shins).
Eisenberg’s Benedict Nightingale impression was cut short by the dimming of the lights to signal the start of the second half, and both men made their separate ways back to the auditorium. At which point Eisenberg’s companion revealed the cause for her distress: Eisenberg had been speaking to Sinead Cusack’s film star husband Jeremy Irons.
Thankfully the dimmed lights covered Eisenberg’s glowing red cheeks, although they didn’t prevent him from squirming with embarrassment for most of the second half.
Tulkinghorn imagines he found it even more unpleasant than the first.
