'The Visit' at the National Theatre

'The Visit, or The Old Lady Comes To Call' is the new play at the National Theatre that uses all the tricks and whizzes of the Olivier stage. It's a new version of the play, written by Tony Kushner (who wrote 'Angels in America' so he's used to writing long plays) and is set in the small town of Slurry in small-town America. I wonder if Americans know what 'slurry' means in British English? I suspect the playwtite does but still...

The richest woman in the world is set to visit the small town where she was born and grew up in before escaping in her teenage years and beginning her adventures that made her rich and famous. The townsfolk are suddenly proud of her since the town is dying, industries closing and poverty spreading, and proud of the local shopkeeper who was her boyfriend in high school.

Then, suddenly, Claire Zachanassian arrives in the smoke from the train that wasn't scheduled to stop in the small town but she pulls the emergency chord to get it to stop. She can buy her way out of everything. The climax to Act I comes with Mrs Zachanassian promising $1 billion to the town if it delivers justice for her and this justice is the death of her former boyfriend that got her pregnant as a schoolgirl and then lied in court so she had to leave the town in shame.

Ooooh big moral decisions here and $1 billion in the 1950s was a lot more than it is today. The townsfolk can't possibly agree to kill one of their own, the owner of the local store they all use, but they can still dream. And then they start opening charge accounts that will be paid off one day when they have the money. But when will they ever have the money with local industry closing down?  There is only one source of new money. I won't go any further in telling the story in case you're planning to see the play.

The leads of Mrs Zacharassian and her old boyfriend are played by Lesley Manville and Hugo Weaving, both of whom are excellent. They worked well together and led the rather large cast with ease. Once Manville appears in the first act, all haughty and laden with money, the act is hers as she's centre-stage and not about to give up an inch. I've seen Lesley Manville on stage before but not Hugo Weaving - I've seen some of his films, of course, ('Priscilla', 'The Matrix', 'Lord of the Rings', etc) but it was nice to see him on stage doing the acting thing and he was very good indeed. I also really liked Sara Kestelman as the school headteacher who's seen her town slowly die and who made a particularly fine drunk towards the end.

It was nice to see the big Olivier stage used to good effect, to see the set rotating away and changing, and a forest emerging from below the stage - the spectacle of those moments shouldn't be underestimated since they're so rarely seen. The large cast, the clouds of smoke that appear every time a train comes near, the lighting, all of these add to the atmosphere of the play, the almost claustrophobia of small town America with dubious morals and the need to get on.

I enjoyed the play and I suspect you will too, so go along and see it.

'Torch Song Trilogy' at The Choccy Factory

Last week I went to see 'Torch Song Trilogy' at the Menier Chocolate Factory. The Choccy Factory has a good track record of productions transferring into the West End and, sometimes, to Broadway ('Sunday In The Park With George', 'La Cage Aux Folles' and 'A Little Night Music') so it's always interesting to see one of its new productions. This was directed by Douglas Hodge who starred in 'La Cage Aux Folles' at the Choccy, in the West End and on Broadway.

'Torch Song Trilogy' is just that, a trilogy of short plays that focus on the life of Arnold, a drag queen in New York. It was written by and originally starred Harvey Fierstein so it's hard not to think of it as being at least partly autobiographical and with some of the phrasing you can almost hear his voice saying the lines. In this production Arnold is played by David Bedella, the physical opposite of Harvey and some of the lines could've been amended to reflect this (such as references to how fat he was when David is a skinny little thing).

I could also be terribly picky about the second play set on a giant bed with the four protagonists hiding under the duvet one minute and saying lines in different formations of the four characters the next. This isn't terribly enlightening or do much to carry the plot forward but I could've forgive much if it wasn't for the increasingly exuberant somersaulting across the bed. Rather than pay attention to the play I was worried they might bounce off the bed onto the hard floor.

Anyway, Arnold is gay and out in late 70s New York and we follow his life from finding Mr Right to being dumped in favour of a woman. Ed is bisexual, you see. Or wants to be. Arnold finds a young man while Ed marries, then the marriage flounders and Arnold's lover is killed for being gay. The final play sees Ed staying with Arnold as his marriage folds, along with Arnold's foster-son, when Arnold's mother arrives from Florida. Cue lots of misunderstandings and arguments. The play has obviously dated in parts but I can well imagine how shocking it must have been to theatre-goers in the early-80s, seeing aspects of gay life that weren't broadcast, particularly with HIV and AIDS just around the corner.  

I enjoyed it. I've seen David Bedella in 'Jerry Springer: The Opera' and in 'Roadshow' (at the Choccy Factory last year) and he carried off the lead role with a knowing nod to the audience. I also liked Joe McFadden as Ed and he clearly grew and developed during the three plays. My favourite though, was Sara Kestelman as Arnold's mother and she played it to a T. She knows her son is gay but can't understand it no matter how much she pretends she does. After a blazing row the night before she leaves as her son is filled with joy that his adopted son has a record played for him on the radio - her look as she closed the door clearly signalled that once tempers have cooled she'll be back to heckle her son again, the relationship is intact.

This is definitely worth seeing - it doesn't seem to be revived very often so take advantage while you can and see this quality production.