It’s true that those who succeed in the highest capacity within the world of film, usually started first on stage. For Sam Shepard, this not only applies as an actor but also as a writer. He’s written shorts, screenplays and for television, but Shepard is mainly revered for his talent as a playwright. The theatre/film practitioner, who recently passed away, has had numerous hit stage plays over the course of his career. So much so, that companies everywhere are still staging his work. One year in London, Digital Theatre was able to capture one of his most notable plays live.
True West is often considered to be one of the best plays Shepard ever penned, hence the reason for its constant staging.
True West is often considered to be one of the best plays Shepard ever penned, hence the reason for its constant staging. This version of the play was performed at the Tricycle Theatre in London back in 2014. The play is about two brothers who are on terrible terms with one another. Austin who is meek, and Lee who is older and intimidating, are occupying their mother’s home whilst she’s away on vacation. Their relationship feels like a ticking time bomb, one that could go off at any moment as they do everything they can to tolerate each other’s polar opposite personalities. Tensions continue to rise as Austin tries to do his work, continuously pestered by overbearing Lee.
Phillip Breen directs this version and he does so with dexterity, him being the overseer the correct decision on the part of the company. The set was well above an average standard, an incredible replica of the inside of a residency. Everything about it was detailed and meticulously constructed. Eugene O’Hare steps up to the plate as Austin. He’s consistently on point with his response to Alex Ferns as Lee. Ferns is another component entirely. He’s grimy and disgusting, volatile and erratic. This works for the betterment of the play though. They are already written to differ from one another, but the actors take this up to eleven. The unpredictable nature of Ferns’ Lee is a requisite contrast to the resigned tendencies of O’Hare’s Austin. Both of them together, complimented by Breen’s direction, make this revival of True West a commendable rendition of the piece that puts it in a class of its own. Granted, due to Shepard’s material, it’s difficult to mess up a show like this. Breen and his team were committed to seeing that never be an option though.
The Glasgow Citizens theatre company did Sam Shepard proud with their production of True West. It was reviewed with enthusiasm during its run, Shepard’s writing naturally a popular topic of discussion, and of course this is largely thanks to the actors’ ability to bring his words off the page. It wasn’t the last revival of the play to be staged in London and there’s likely to be more given the strength of the material, but thankfully this was recorded. This version of True West can currently be found on Broadway HD or digital theatre.com, but maybe for a limited time.
