Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge (Tony) and Shvorne Marks (Sandra) in Beautiful Thing at Stratford East. Photographer The Other Richard.With the Mamas and Papas soundtrack famously supporting the film version released in 1996, the charming story of shy lads Jamie and Ste who realise they have feelings for each other, was released amidst the grey years of John Major’s Britain which was still smarting from Thatcher’s tenure as Prime Minister and the oppressive anti-gay Section 28. Much has changed in the intervening years which will leave some popular culture script references (Bob’s Full House, Cagney and Lacey, Anne Diamond, Crimewatch, Richard and Judy etc) perhaps beyond the understanding of many younger audience members making this play an excellent case for updating in a way which wouldn’t harm the overall themes of love, compassion and relationships in a modern working class urban environment.
Raphael Akuwudike dons the mantle of football-loving Ste who lives with his (unseen) violent drunken father whose behaviour unwittingly brings about the scene where Ste has to bunk-in with his neighbour Jamie played (at short notice) by Rilwan Abiola Owokoniran. Jamie’s pub-running mother Sandra Shvorne Marks soon realises that their sharing a bed has proven a catalyst for unexpected kindness and intimacy, whilst their neighbour on the other side, school drop-out Leah Scarlett Rayner drifts through each boring day, with only the voice of Mama Cass to lift her spirits and brighten the tedium of estate life. The fifth member of the cast Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge plays Sandra’s well-meaning but annoyingly uncool pseud-artist boyfriend Tony.
The joy of the play is in the arguing and banter which takes place between the five, each of which is trying to make their way in a world which is inherently designed to keep them dreaming and hoping as they fail to achieve anything noteworthy. The chatty, combative dialogue style has made Harvey a natural choice for television soap drama scripting, including over 300 episodes for Coronation Street.
For this reviewer, the nostalgia in seeing another production of this marvellous piece was tempered by a slight disappointment in Rosie Elnile’s perfunctory set design which whilst ensuring the cast are downstage and close to the audience at all times (which was fundamental to creating the voyeuristic intimacy at Donmar Warehouse 30 years ago), here resulted in restricting the characters’ lives to behind or in front of their doors with an unimaginative push-through bed for the 70 minus 1 scenes (think about it)! Given the space limitations, Anthony Simpson-Pike has sensibly deployed a largely static state in directing his cast — which underwent a last minute change to one of the leads. The production runs until 7th October.
