EAST OF HEYSHAM

Written by Philip Martin

Directed by Michael Whittaker

3MT Theatre, Manchester (until 19^th June)

Salford Arts Theatre (24/25^th June)

Review by Brian Gorman

A full house is always a very welcome sight for a relatively unknown play. ‘East Of Heysham’ is written by Philip Martin, legendary creator of the 1970s BBC tv series ‘Gangsters’, plus a couple of 80s Doctor Who. Producer Gareth Kavanagh (of Manchester’s renowned Lass Productions, purveyors of many a ‘lost classic’, cult tv/film adaptation, etc.) discovered this little-known script, and has mounted it at the intimate, rather eccentrically decorated 3MT Theatre (think the TARDIS with Salvador Dali as interior designer). This is a gently humorous story of 3 sad, aging, and deeply flawed individuals bonded by their love of 50s icon James Dean (hence the title reference to the 1955 epic ‘East Of Eden’), whose character deficiencies and inner demons are teased out, and simultaneously exorcised by a newcomer to their dwindling ranks. David Slack plays the seventy-something Vince, leader of the pack, and somewhat decrepit lothario, resplendent in his snuggly-fitting, bright red windcheater (echoing Dean’s character in ‘Rebel Without A Cause’), and desperate to keep his idol’s memory alive. Slack carries the part well, and his towering bulk suits Vince’s weathered swagger, whilst hinting at the clay feet and Ozymandian fate. The downtrodden, deluded Walter (a superb performance by Pete Gibson) cowers in Vince’s shadow in a distressing, symbiotic, Clarkson/Hammond Top Gear style, whilst looking as though he will fall apart at any moment due to the stress of trying to coax into life an equally gutless and past-its-sell-by-date 16mm film projector. This pitifully undynamic duo are kept in check by the icy Bel (Wendy McCormack), a hard-nosed businesswoman making a small fortune flogging cheap anti-aging remedies to her unsuspecting customers. McCormack cuts a formidable figure, and deftly portrays a character literally held together by vanity and guilt. The themes of keeping the past alive, defying the ravages of time, and allowing past mistakes to haunt the present are communicated well by Martin’s tight, unfussy script, and Michael Whittaker’s no-nonsense direction. Energetic Roisin McCusker plays the young, enigmatic stranger in town, Sarah, and soon has the hapless Vince going all Jack Duckworth on her. You can guess how that plays out.

‘East Of Heysham’ has a clever mix of light and shade, with the gentle, morphine drip of ‘Last Of The Summer Wine’ mixed with the spice of a J B Priestly morality play. No-one is wholly innocent, everybody has secrets, and all are prisoners of their own making. Beckettian? Perhaps. Pinteresque? A little. At around 90 minutes (plus interval), it certainly never drags or outstays its welcome. For a first night, this was old-fashioned, entertaining stuff, but there’s a lot to work with, and a solid cast that will grow in confidence. There’s certainly life in this Martian Chronicle.

Tags: East Of Heysham, Philip Martin, Lass Productions, David Slack, Pete Gibson, Wendy McCormack, Roisin McCusker, Michael Whittaker, Three Minute Theatre, Manchester, Salford Arts Theatre

Originally published by www.thepublicreviews.com