As the name suggests, Torch Song Trilogy is made up of three parts, each charting key moments in the life of drag queen Arnold Beckoff (David Bedella). The first, The International Stud, starts with a touching monologue from Arnold about his past loves and future hopes. As he applies his make-up, he lets his guard down in a mixture of self-self-deprecating humour and genuine emotion. We then meet achingly earnest Ed (Joe McFadden) who delivers his chat up line straight to the audience. Arnold thinks him and Ed have a real connection, but the staging from Soutra Gilmour - full of walls and windows - foreshadows the ensuing boundaries between them, as Ed decides to deny his urges and stick to an easier, straight life. Can Arnold learn to live without him? Part two, Fugue in a Nursery, sees Arnold and his new young lover Alan (Tomk Rhys Harries) invited for a weekend in the country chez Ed and his wife Laurel (Laura Pyper). Laurel thinks this is highly sophisticated but of course emotions run high and it can't end well. Hodge reinvented this section by setting it all on a bed, with the four characters, all dressed in white pyjamas, tumbling into different conjugations - a really clever staging idea. The final part, Widows & Children First, is both the funniest and the most moving. Two new characters are introduced - Arnold's old-fashioned Jewish mother who refuses to accept his homosexuality (Sara Kestelman) and 15-year old David (Perry Millward) who Arnold hopes to adopt. While the three generations of Berkhoff's spark off each other, the change in Arnold - who has been through love and loss and grown into a devoted parent gives this final section a real pathos. And then of course there's Ed - after six years of loving each other, can they finally find a future together?
A frequent criticism of this revival of Torch Song Trilogy is that the gay rights issues raised in the play - specifically the idea that one has to remain in the closet to be accepted into society and the assumption that homosexual couples cannot love each other in the same way as heterosexual couples - would have been ground-breaking at its début in 1981 but are now out-of-date. Yes, thankfully, there is more equality these days, but the current polemic surrounding gay marriage and adoption proves the enduring relevance of this play. Moreover, beyond the politics, the personal journey at the heart of the story remains as engaging as ever.
At the heart of this revival of Torch Song Trilogy is David Bedella's stellar central performance. Bedella rose to fame as the Devil in Jerry Springer - The Opera, for which he won the 2004 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. A little of this devilish charisma remains in Arnold's bitchy drag queen personality, but Bedella excels at bringing out the real Arnold, vulnerable and full of love, wanting nothing more than affection and acceptance, yet strong enough to stand by his convictions. Bedella makes Arnold an incredibly sympathetic character, flawed but loveable. Perry Millwald is another highlight - his David is bursting with energy and personality, a real joy. As Ed, Joe McFadden is just so sweet you can't help but route for him even when he's doing something really stupid. With a small frame and huge eyes, Laura Pyper is the embodiment of a fragile young woman, well-meaning but always ending up in a bad situation.
Tom Rhys Harries makes his London stage début as Alan. Alan loves Arnold deeply (although not enough to avoid adultery) but becomes incredibly petulant when his affection seems unequally returned. This portrayal of Alan gets many laughs, but makes it hard to believe that he and Arnold would later become devoted partners who plan to adopt together. When I first received the promotional material for Torch Song Trilogy, I was surprised to see Harries - a familiar face from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I'd always been a little underwhelmed by him in Cardiff, but assumed he must be doing something right to have landed this role before even graduating. I was intrigued, but I have to say Harries felt like the weak link in the cast. He certainly looks the part - blonde hair, blue eyes, chiselled model look - and has a sweet if not very exciting singing voice, but his accent kept switching from American to British RP and he just didn't seem quite as comfortable in the role as the others. This might be because I'm used to seeing him in the real world, at Central Station or in the RWCMD café with his friends (I'm not a stalker, Cardiff's just a small city!), but I would say it's more that his relative inexperience was highlighted by the calibre of the rest of the cast.
Through almost three hours, Torch Song Trilogy kept me hooked, partly because of the quality of the central performances, but mainly because the multifaceted characters - each endearing but flawed in their own way - are engaging. The play is laced with Fierstein's trademark sharp humour, which made me laugh out loud throughout, but left me feeling deeply moved. Highly recommended.
Torch Song Trilogy runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London, until 12 August 2012. Tickets are available here.
No comments:
Post a Comment