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Show: Torch Song
Society: Turbine Theatre, The
Venue: The Turbine Theatre
Credits: Written by Harvey Fierstein. Presented by presented by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills
Type: Sardines
Author: Jess Pether
Performance Date: 22/08/2019
Torch Song
Jess Pether | 07 Sep 2019 17:58pm
Matthew Needham (Arnold) and Rish Shah (Alan). Torch Song at Turbine Theatre. Photo: Mark Senior
As I walked from Sloane Square across the River Thames, the looming chimneys of Battersea Power Station hove into view. The regenerated area now includes apartments, restaurants and most excitingly, a theatre. The Turbine opened its doors in August with Torch Song… and what a first play to choose.
Torch Song Trilogy was written by Harvey Fierstein in the 1970s as a collection of three separate plays – International Stud, Fugue in a Nursery and Widows and Children First! Originally over four hours long, a cut-down version was created in 2017 simply called Torch Song, containing three acts. The story focuses on Arnold Beckoff, a homosexual Jewish man in 70s New York, who performs as a drag queen. He meets and falls in love with Ed, and the story pans out across the years through marriages, break ups, deaths and even adoption.
Act one begins with Arnold in drag delivering a soliloquy to the audience. I like that this is how we are introduced to him; it’s easy from the beginning to see his many layers. Arnold is vulnerable. He is lonely; he is a romantic; he is kind; and he is trying to find his way in the world. Matthew Needham excels at this part. His delivery is spot on throughout and he allows Arnold to grow with the storyline. I really saw a difference in his character over the course of three acts.
Arnold meets Ed (Dino Fetscher), and so begins a complex relationship. The pair become romantically involved until Ed ends things after being set up with a woman. It’s clear he is not comfortable being gay, and is doing what he feels he should to live a more “normal” life. The break-up happens over the phone and is one of my favourite set pieces in the show. One side of the stage is set in red and the other in green, showing the contrast between the two men. At one point, the two men end up almost touching, one facing away from the other, and it’s a poignant moment when you feel Arnold’s desperate need for Ed emanating from the stage.
The show’s many elements work well together but each act feels very different from the others. Fugue in a Nursery sees Arnold and new boyfriend Alan join Ed and his now-wife Laurel at the latter couple’s home. Laurel now knows about Ed’s past and Arnold and wants to meet him. The act feels homely and almost cosy, set around a big double bed with each character dressed in pyjamas. This is in contrast to the arguments, lies and cheating that takes place, so the juxtaposition is interesting. This is cleverly staged, with the couples sharing the bed and being covered by the quilt when not performing. Laurel (Daisy Boulton) is a pretty, chirpy young woman, who is clearly deeply in love with Ed.
Dino Fetscher portrays Ed well. The character, I feel, is less complex than Arnold, despite the fight within him about his sexuality, but he feels right in the part. Daisy Boulton too is a perfect Laurel and they are a handsome couple. Alan is played by Rish Shah, and this is his professional theatre debut. Younger and less cynical than Arnold, he has an energy about him quite right for the part. All four actors make this complex act easy to watch and the direction is clever and sharp.
The show seems to be feeling lighter as it moves into act three, set some time in the future in Arnold’s small apartment. He is happier, and in the process of adopting a son, David, a gay teen placed with him after living on the streets. I loved David. Jay Lycurgo, who is also making his debut, brings comic relief to the act and is extremely enjoyable to watch. The ease with which he interacts with the more seasoned actors should be commended.
Ed is currently staying on the couch, after leaving Laurel, and Arnold’s mother (Ma, played by Bernice Stegers) is due to visit. Bernice was fantastic as Ma, and I couldn’t fault her performance.
And just as quickly as the play seems to become light, it explodes into darkness again. These were the scenes that affected me the most. Ma doesn’t understand Arnold, his lifestyle or his choices. The pair descend into screaming rows and it really seems like Arnold is fighting for his life. And I felt like I was right there fighting with him. Some of the dialogue thrown around is hard to hear, most notably when Ma practically declares that she wishes Arnold had never been born. But the most prominent line that stands out to me is when Arnold reveals Alan was beaten to death by children on the street for being gay. “Children taught by people like you!” he screams at his mother. You could have heard a pin drop in the small theatre.
The Turbine Theatre is a lovely venue. However, it is a shame that the regular tube trains running overhead are so loud within the performance space. I hope it does well, and I’m sure it will if the quality of productions continue to be as good as this one is.
I wouldn’t normally reveal the entire plot of a show within a review, but Torch Song is so varied and each act is so different that it would have been difficult to write about it in any other way. The themes of this show are very close to my heart, as I have many friends within the LGBTQ+ community. I also feel there is a bit of Arnold in me; Vulnerable, carrying around a desperate need for love and acceptance, but also not being afraid to stand up for who I am. Maybe there’s some of him in all of us. Torch Song is a powerful piece of work and as for the performance I saw last night, I don’t have anything to criticise at all. It is a show that will stay with me for a long time.
- : admin
- : 22/08/2019