With rehearsals underway for Defibrillator’s production of Stephen Karam’s Speech and Debate opening at Trafalgar Studios on 24 February, the company announces a revival of Sam Shepard’sA Lie of the Mind. Defibrillator Artistic Director James Hillier directs the production opening at Southwark Playhouse on 8 May, with previews from 4 May running until 28 May.
“Love… its a disease that makes ya’ feel good. While it lasts. Then, when it’s gone, yer worse off than before you caught it.”
America. The great wide open. Two families torn apart by more than one brutal marriage. Out of this bleak landscape emerges a human spirit that burns bright in its fight for salvation.
At heart a love story, this poetic and gritty play explores the ambivalence of family relationships, of love lost and found, against the backdrop of a macho American West. Humorous, dark and mystical A Lie of the Mind was written by Sam Shepard at the height of his powers.
James Hillier said,
“In 2017, with a post-truth President in the White House, this play which charts the carnage that ensues from self-deception is as relevant now as when first performed in 1985.”
Sam Shepard (b 1942) is a playwright, actor, director and author. He has written over 45 plays (11 of which have won Obie Awards) including True Love, Fool for Love and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Buried Child, recently seen at Trafalgar Studios starring Ed Harris. He also wrote the screenplay for Wim Wender’s Paris, Texas for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
James Hillier is Artistic Director of Defibrillator. His directing credits include, most recently, Terry Johnson’s Insignificance at Langham Place, New York, the première production of Tennessee Williams’ The Hotel Plays at the Grange Hotel in 2012 and The Langham, London in 2014, The Armour (also The Langham, winner of an award at Le Miami Rebels) and Hard Feelings (Finborough Theatre). Hillier has directed a number of short films, including How To Make A Good First Impression Part 1 which went on to win awards at Tribecca Film Festival and Cannes. As an actor, he has worked at the National, Almeida Theatre, Bush Theatre, Manchester Royal Exchange and the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. He is currently shooting the second season of The Crown.
DEFIBRILLATOR is an award-winning London based company with a growing reputation for delivering inspiring and entertaining theatre in both conventional and non-theatre settings. With a history of bringing to life material that may have been forgotten, the company is increasingly developing and discovering new works from UK and international writers for audiences around the world. Defibrillator is led by Artistic Director James Hillier and Executive Producer Trish Wadley, supported by the Stage One Bursary Scheme for New Producers.
“A nostalgic cup of feel-good, brimming with blissful Bacharach harmonies”
Based on the 1960 film The Apartment, which starred Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, this musical incarnation first appeared almost half a century ago. With music by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David and book by Neil Simon, this was almost guaranteed to be a hit. No surprises then that the original Broadway production ran for over three years and scooped two Tony Awards and a Grammy.
The story focuses on C C Baxter (Chuck) a young slightly naive junior in a huge insurance company. Keen to progress up the corporate ladder, he permits the execs at the company to use his nearby apartment for romantic liaisons in return for a key to the executive washroom.
Set firmly in the sixties and with work ethics to match (male dominated, cronyism abound and a more than liberal sprinkling of sexism), you have to watch this and realise that at the time it was written, these attitudes were the norm.
In the first act we get to meet Chuck (Gabriel Vick) and learn through some witty asides, that he is madly in love with the girl from the cafeteria, Fran (Daisy Maywood). Soon the execs at the company realise Chuck has the perfect location for them to partake in their secret trysts, his apartment, and reward him with over complementary reviews and promotion. Alas it turns out that one of the execs, Personnel Director J D Sheldrake (Paul Robinson) is using the dwelling to romance Fran.
Numbers and routines (choreographed by Cressida Carre) in the first act are pleasing, in particular ‘Turkey Lurkey Time’ at the office Christmas party. At times the pace of the actual story seemed a tad slow making the first act seem rather long.
The second act was at a much faster pace and definitely the better of the two (if we were rating by act – this would have got five stars!). It opens with Chuck drowning his sorrows at a bar on Christmas Eve and meeting the rather tipsy Marge (Alex Young). This scene is the funniest in the show and the audience were in stitches. Alex Young’s portrayal of the merry Miss MacDougall and her comic timing were a joy to watch. Her ‘owl’ jacket in itself was a hoot …
Fortunately, circumstance intervenes and Chuck doesn’t end up in flagrante delicto with Marge and as you may have guessed, does eventually get his girl. I’ll Never Fall in Love Again sealing their romance.
The absolute standout star of the show is Gabriel Burn, stunning vocal and just looks and plays the part perfectly. Daisy Maywood is the perfect Fran, and Paul Robinson is impeccable as the devious Sheldrake. Add in the music and you have a nostalgic cup of feel-good, brimming with blissful Bacharach harmonies.
A few technical hiccups didn’t spoil the enjoyment and Promises, Promises opens 2017 as a wonderful adaptation of this classic musical. Add it to your ‘go see’ list.
