Written by Tim
Fountain
Directed by Gary Abrahams
Performed by Paul Capsis
The Street
Theatre to 7 August
Reviewed by Len Power 27 July 2016
Quentin Crisp was fond of saying that he was ‘one of the
stately homos of England’. A brave – or
foolish – man, he wore his effeminacy openly and proudly between the wars in
the 20th century and beyond when homosexuality was illegal and
looked upon with disgust by society. His
autobiography, ‘The Naked Civil Servant’, published in 1968, brought him fame
and a much applauded television portrayal of him by actor, John Hurt. He performed his own one man show and
appeared in several movies. From 1981,
he lived in New York in a filthy apartment in the East Village, never
compromising his attitudes and ideals for anyone.
Tim Fountain’s play, written in 1999, the year Crisp died,
focuses on a day in the life of Quentin Crisp in his New York apartment. The play nicely captures Crisp, the man, and
his highly entertaining and often spot on comments on people, himself and life
in general.
Paul Capsis, who plays Crisp in this one person show, gives
a superb performance. Much younger than
Crisp was at this point in his life, Capsis’s necessary facial makeup is very
noticeable in the intimate Street Two theatre, but just adds to the
theatricality of this man who loved an audience. Capsis gives a highly controlled and detailed
performance, bringing Crisp unnervingly to life and his fine sense of timing
works wonders with the quotable quotes.
His skill as an actor shows the moving as well as funny side of this
character.
The New York apartment set in all its filthy glory was
well-designed by Romaine Harper.
Wigmaker, Jurga Celikiene, has helped to transform Capsis into Quentin
Crisp with her brilliant wig apparently made from yak and human hair. Sound and lighting effects added nicely to
the atmosphere of the show.
Gary Abrahams has directed the show expertly, tempering the
amusing aspects of the show with a darkness of the reality of Crisp’s
existence. It all works very well.
This review was first
published in the Canberra City News digital edition on 28 July 2016. Len Power’s reviews can also be heard on
Artsound FM 92.7 ‘Artcetera’ program on Saturdays from 9am.
