Calling London Calling -- Reviewer sued

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Hello Londoners. What can you tell me about this little story I just heard? I understand David Soul (the American actor who starred in "Starsky and Hutch") just successfully sued London reviewer Matthew Wright (of The Mirror) over his review of the West End play "The Dead Monkey".

Apparently Wright's review mentioned that it was the worst play he'd ever seen on the West End, and that the audience was tiny, and that they spent the whole night laughing at Soul's acting.

The problem was that Wright never saw the play.

Is this something the Mirror is known for? Is this a legit paper, or a tabloid? Seems weird.

 

[bluespoke]

The story is perfectly true and you guessed it, the Mirror is a tabloid.

Anymore I can't possibly say, the Mirror will be out looking for their money back!

 

[OUTSIDER]

Matthew Wright is a shit writer at a shit paper and while David Soul's star may be a little faded he is still a nice guy by all accounts and makes a living as a jobbing actor here, I for one am glad he won his case and hopes he goes on to do better thing's.

Give it ten years and just like Travolta(sp) he'll be rediscovered and make a film or TV come back, in the mean time I hear he's a good character actor.

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David Soul wins libel battle with Mirror
Lisa O'Carroll
Tuesday December 11, 2001
The Guardian

The actor and singer, David Soul, today accepted a £170,000 deal to settle a libel case its former showbusiness columnist Matthew Wright.

Soul, best known for portraying detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson in the 70s TV show, Starsky and Hutch, sued Matthew Wright of the Mirror over a review of his 1998 play, The Dead Monkey.

An article, written under Wright's byline, described the play - in which Soul starred with his wife, Alexa Hamilton - as the worst West End show the author had ever seen.

It alleged only 45 people attended a Monday evening performance and said the audience laughed derisively at Soul.

Soul's lawyer, Graham Atkins, told the high court judge, Sir Charles Gray, that Wright had not attended the play but had sent a freelance journalist on his behalf.

The freelance journalist, Henrietta Knight, attended the play on Thursday but, crucially, Wright referred to a Monday staging of the play.

The play did not run on Mondays and when Knight saw the play on the Thursday, the theatre had been more than half full.

Wright's lawyer, Mark Bateman, said his client apologised for the inaccuracies in the article.

But he said it was common practice for a columnist to write in the first person, even when relying on information supplied by a third party.

Soul, who hit the music charts in the 70s with the single Don't Give Up on Us, now lives in London.

He said he supported a critic's right to express strong opinions about plays.

"I think it's a cornerstone of the theatre but you have to see the play, you have to be there, you have to have the facts," said Soul, 58.

"And if you are going to use something like that, make sure you get the facts right."

Soul was awarded £20,000 in libel damages plus costs for both sides, estimated by the newspaper at £150,000.

The Mirror will bear the full cost of the case.