Tag Archives: Bryony Lavery

“Midnight Cowboy” at the Southwark Playhouse 

Musicals adapted from movies are usually a safe bet. But of the many screen-to-stage shows, using John Schlesinger’s 1969 film is surely a surprise. None other than Bryony Lavery has taken on the task but, unfortunately, the level of effort needed shows. It would be nice to award marks for originality, for taking a risk, but it turns out the idea is a bad one.

It is stressed that this is an adaptation of the book, by James Leo Herlihy, as much as the film. In which case, dropping the snatches of music associated with the movie might have been better, because the show relies on the audience knowing the premise of young misfit Joe Buck coming to New York to work as a gigolo. True, there’s an element of fever dream in Midnight Cowboy, with poverty and drugs fuelling chaos. But the descent to hell is confused as well as relentless.

It’s probably best to leave aside the morals in the story. Are we really OK with having a violent sex worker and his pimp as any kind of hero? The latter is his only friend in New York, a desperate conman called Ratso with a troubled past. The story is bleak to the point of misery porn. The whole show has the puzzling move of inserting humour into the situation: yes, Joe is the world’s worst hustler, and Ratso is oddly endearing, but are laughs appropriate here?

Max-Bowden-as-Ratzo-in-Midnight-Cowboy-credit-Pamela-Raith
Max Bowden

The performances are best described as brave. Tori Allen-Martin does well as two very different women, Matthew White and Rohan Tickell have intense roles as two male clients that they make memorable. Max Bowden’s Ratso is admirably complex, he is the only fleshed out character. Paul Jacob French certainly looks the part of Joe, and has the moves, but this is a very tricky role; we can see Joe is clueless, oddly blank, and the depiction follows this. Joe’s job makes him a figure people project onto, so a connection to him is difficult. This problem is complicated by the flashbacks that are supposed to fill Joe out (many of which are hard to hear). Despite all this, Bowden and French make their chemistry clear – no small achievement.

As for the music, written by Francis “Eg” White, the songs are good (the main number is a fantastic, emotional ear worm) but there aren’t enough of them, and they don’t build to anything significant. The delivery is sometimes timid. Again, it’s easy to commend how brave a lot of this is – sex and murder during musical numbers is bold – but the courage doesn’t make it work.

If I had to guess what’s gone wrong, it might be the stress on dreams: Joe’s ambitions, Ratso’s hopes, and various sexual fantasies. But there might be tension here too. Oddly, with little sense of place or time, we miss addressing that big old theme of the American Dream. Thankfully, some of the staging is impressive, the scene changes are good, likewise the projections and lighting. Director Nick Winston’s skills as a choreographer are clear and could have been showcased more. But none of this is enough to save the show from its morbid streak. If I didn’t know better, I’d think we’ve finally found a movie that doesn’t work as a musical.

Until 17 May 2025

www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Photos by Pamela Raith

“Treasure Island” from NTLive

This third offering – and third call to support theatres during their current closure – from the National Theatre is an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure story. It makes sense to show the venue’s admirable variety by providing a show for the whole family, and this effort from director Polly Findlay is entertaining and enjoyable.

The script from Bryony Lavery excels with plot and deals expertly with some convoluted language that she spices up. Snatches of humour work well and “keeping nothing back” means some delightfully gory details! From injuries, and a massive syringe, to nightmarish touches, superstition and the supernatural are effectively included.

Lavery and Findlay aren’t afraid to ham things up – there’s a lot of shouting and plenty of fight scenes. We’re dealing with a “hot headed and exclamatory” crowd, after all, and a world that “crawls with large-eared villains”! A nice twist comes with Jim becoming Jemima Hawkins and in the role Patsy Ferran makes an engaging narrator, with a lot of energy to her exposition, as well as an impressive head for heights.

Arthur Darvill and Patsy Ferran in Treasure Island at the National Theatre photo by Johnan Persson
Arthur Darvill and Patsy Ferran

Jim is joined by the “blabber-mouthed” Squire Trelawney and Dr Livesey (roles Nick Fletcher and Alexandra Maher acquit themselves well with) along with a host of colourful characters. Including, of course, Long John Silver, which Arthur Darvill makes a fantastic part. At first “hardly frightening at all”, Darvill builds his character’s charisma and then menace with firm skill.

Treasure Island does lose pace. Maybe things get too silly, or Jim too gullible and fickle? The moral dilemma Jim is faced with is hard to care about, and poorly set up, which you could view as a serious flaw. Meanwhile, his counterpart as a cabin boy, Ben Gunn, proves a tiresome role for Joshua James. Attempts at serious moments aren’t convincing or sustained.

The show’s success lies in the strong staging by Findlay. The Olivier auditorium is used to good effect – if you’re seeing it on film for the first time it surely makes you want to go for real! There’s strong work from Bruno Poet as lighting designer – the constellations in the theatre are magical. Lizzie Clachan’s set well deserves the applause it receives. And, along with the expected shanties, Dan Jones’ fine score provides the final atmospheric touch for a suitably escapist show.

Available until Wednesday 22 April 2020

To support visit nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Johan Persson