home
|
about
|
news
|
contents
|
gossip
|
photographs
|
venues
|
brighton
|
dublin
|
edinburgh
|
film
|
features
|
interviews
|
awards
|
fashion
|
recipes
|
no more drinks
|
newsletter
|
links
|
contact
Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Gates Of Gold
Verdict: Death of Micheál MacLiammóir
A 90 minute play with a cast of 5 (3M, 2F).
The gracefully flamboyant Gabriel (William Gaunt), dressed in a frilly nightshirt, sits at a theatrical dressing table - complete with lights, a myriad of powders, make-up and perfumes (writes Holly Davis).
He is painstakingly using a toothbrush - and what appears to be black boot-polish - to cover up the white hair that escapes from under his wig. He’s an elegant relic of a bygone acting era, with his thick makeup and elaborate crimson slippers.
But this isn’t a prelude to a fantastic performance. He is in his bedroom, morphine-dependent, and in his final days of life. The efforts to recreate his youthful vigour and cover up his ageing flaws are instantly endearing. William Gaunt is delightful and mesmerising to watch. He at once realises Gabriel as a proud man - but a man trapped in the past, in his youth, his looks and his vocation.
Gates of Gold, thoughtfully directed by Gavin McAlinden, is based on the true story of the death of Micheál MacLiammóir (1899-1978), and his relationship with Hilton Edwards. They were two gay men battling against the prejudices and homophobic legalities of Ireland in the 20th Century - living open lives, and proving that love can survive adversity.
The play unfolds around the peculiarities of Gabriel and his lover, and director Conrad (John Bennett). John Bennett’s excellent portrayal of the tired but ever-patient Conrad complements William Gaunt’s acerbic flamboyance. It reveals a relationship punctuated with difficulties and make-believe stories.
Conrad hires a nurse for Gabriel. She is Alma (Aoife McMahon) - a seemingly no-nonsense woman with her own problems. She has a traumatic history, which she tries to conceal - for as long as Gabriel will let her. Against Conrad’s expectations, Alma and Gabriel strike up friendship. Gabriel invents colourful, occasionally faltering tales of his childhood - while he probes her background. He reveals unsettling aspects of her life, which unfortunately are left unanswered.
Aoife McMahon’s Alma sings beautifully to Gabriel. She delivers an uneasy Alma, a match for her patients’s volatility. Aoife McMahon draws on the story-line she is given, but she is hard-pushed to resolve Alma’s character within the constraints of Frank McGuinness’s script.
Gabriel’s sister Kassie (Josie Kidd) and her troubled son Ryan (Alan Turkington) arrive. They bring with them a peculiarly conflicting pathos for the dying man - and a vulture-like drive for Ryan to inherit his uncle’s wealth.
Josie Kidd is sprightly and endearing in her portrayal of the childish Kassie. Kassie echoes her brother’s penchant for embellishment of their past - the reality is hard to decipher. The relationship and collusion between William Gaunt and Josie Kidd’s characterisations is captivating.
So is the relationship between Kassie and Conrad. Later in the drawing room, they expose the grit of their personalities as they try to escape from the tribulations of their worlds with whiskey and cocaine.
The plight of distressed Ryan suffers from a similar lack of clarity in the writing as with the part of Alma. Ryan and Alma are both catalysts for the main plot. Alan Turkington uses what is in the script to good effect, but despite a lot of emotion and a passionate hurling of oranges, the character’s story is unmoving.
Designer Vicky Fifield’s two-room set evokes an old-fashioned theatre foyer - full of gold detail and gilt-framed pictures. A portrait of Gabriel and Conrad as young men serves to haunt their now-aged bodies - all too visible in the dressing-table mirror.
Viewing is intimate. Unfortunately, poor use of the Finborough Theatre’s limited space sometimes forces the actors to clamber over the audience, or unwittingly involve them in on-stage action.
It’s worth going to see. But don’t sit at the front if you have an aversion to oranges. Or want to preserve the smart toes on your new shoes.
The bond between lovers Gabriel and Conrad is movingly exposed in the final scene. Conrad uses the third person to describe one man’s lifelong love for another. Both players bring truth and gravity to this poignant finale.
***
Cast Credits: (alpha order): John Bennett – Conrad. William Gaunt – Gabriel. Josie Kidd – Kassie. Aoife McMahon – Alma. Alan Turkington – Ryan.
Company Credits: Frank McGuinness – Playwright. Gavin McAlinden – Director. Vicki Fifield – Designer. Paul Colwill – Lighting. Alena Ondrackova – Costume Design. James Jones – Composer. Kate Wasserberg – Assistant Director. Max Lewendel – Associate Producer. Rhonwen McCormack – Dramaturg. Lucy Wade – Portrait Artist. Production Company - Charm Offensive in association with Concordance. Venue Credits: Finborough Theatre: Neil McPherson - Artistic Director.
END
(c) Holly Davis 2004
reviewed Friday 3 December 2004 / Finborough Theatre
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
