After the excellent revival of Buried Child in 2016, it is heartening to see yet another Sam Shephard classic, True West, in the West End. This play, written in 1980, was apparently a box office failure when it debuted at the Public Theatre in New York. It only became a long running hit when staged with John Malkovich and Gary Sinise as warring brothers Lee and Austin. It is understandable as these two demanding roles need to be cast just right in this tricky work which veers wildly from kitchen sink realism to Beckettian absurdism. Johnny Flynn is perfectly comfortable in his role as the ne’re- do-well Lee, who, when he isn’t stealing TV’s from the neighbours is running dog fights to make a fast buck. At first glance Kit Harington, Jon Snow from Game of Thrones, may not seem ideal as the hardworking, studious screenwriter Austin. However, from the opening scene of this production he is virtually unrecognisable in his slicked back hair and aviator glasses, diligently typing away by candle light. I am happy to say both actors hold their own and have a fiery chemistry between them as well as great comic rapport.
Austin has come to stay in his mother’s house while she is in Alaska, needing some quiet time alone to work on his latest screenplay. The appearance of his beer swilling older brother Lee, whom he hasn’t seen in five years, is more an annoyance than a surprise, despite Lee’s frequent physical threats, which he seems to take in his stride. Not much ruffles Austin’s feathers until Lee walks in on an important meeting he has set up with Hollywood producer Saul Kimmer and proceeds to hijack it, arranging an early morning golf game and pitching his own idea for a movie. Amazingly the producer likes Lee’s idea, a strange western, which Lee asks Austin to write up as an outline. Although Austin is initially happy to help, thinking Lee will finally stop burglarising the neighbourhood, he is furious when Saul says he prefers Lee’s idea, has sold it to a studio and secured a large advance.
By the second act, the tables have turned. The celebration champagne is gone and Austin is now blind drunk, swigging from a whiskey bottle. Lee works furiously at a typewriter that he pulls apart while trying to fix. He cannot put his words down and is getting increasingly frustrated. A hilarious scene in which Austin makes toast in a line-up of many toasters he has just stolen and then proceeds to butter each one, leads not into peace between the brothers but more competitive fighting which escalates in a nasty turn of events.
This play, like most of Shephard’s work, goes in unpredictable directions, keeping the audience constantly guessing. The play is almost over before Madeleine Potter makes an appearance as the mother, newly returned from her holiday to complete chaos.
There have been several productions of True West where the actors playing the brothers have alternated the roles during the run. Although that is not the case here, it is clear that they are meant to be two aspects of the same person, perhaps even of Shephard himself; the hard-working intellectual vying with the wild renegade who is prone to disappearing into the desert.
Kit Harington is a revelation as Austin, a role which was clearly a challenge as the character goes through drastic changes. He is a fine actor and deserves to take on more great stage roles. Johnny Flynn has already made a name for himself in the West End in Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen, also directed by the talented Matthew Dunster, where he played another menacing trickster. Here he brilliantly inhabits Lee completely, bodily taking up space as he prowls about the house, looming intimidatingly over his brother and yet reigning in his volatility to manipulate and charm the Hollywood producer. Flynn, who also composed the music for this production and is a singer/songwriter, is clearly a force to be reckoned with. Donald Sage Mackay, an American actor who recently moved to the UK, is excellent as the amiable Saul as is Madeleine Potter who makes the most of a small but striking role as Mom. In her detached befuddlement and complete lack of caring for her grown children she makes it clear why her sons turned out as they did.
This exciting production runs only until 23 February so catch it while you can. It will probably sell out just on its star power to Game of Thrones fans but is an enervating evening at the theatre for admirers of this great American playwright.
Photos by Marc Brenner.
