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The Charming Man

Theatre 503

All photography copyright Graham Turner.

It’s 2015 and ‘British politics is buggered. I’m talking chained to the bed, snooker ball in mouth, Phil Collins on the stereo, ass red raw, buggered’. The coalition government has failed, crime and unemployment are rising. Enter Darren, a black gay youth worker passionate about the welfare state scouted at a political rally by the Green Party, and eventually thrown into the race for Prime Minister. Passionate about bringing culture to the crime ridden areas of Britain, Darren might not have knowledge or experience in politics, but his populist, fresh and charming attitude suits the interests of the party. But at what cost and ultimately, for who?

Syrus Lowe and Kate Sissons

Gabriel Bisset Smith’s play is clever, witty and incorrigibly fresh. It starts with a plausible set-up, ends with an acutely ridiculous stand-off and enjoys every step of its journey. By placing a gay black man as the central character, it finely balances a satire of the current political climate with fantasy, without falling into ideological banter. The ending is testament to the fact that the play undergoes a reality check without proposing a serious solution, exploring dualisms inherent in the tensions of the current political machine.

This is fast-paced drama referential to shows such as West Wing or The Thick of It, particularly in its use of language- ‘as useful as a shit in a handbag’ says Marcus- but also in the way Bisset brings filmic structures to the play. Each character has at least one monologue during the course of the play, and there’s plenty of subtext woven into the plot to justify the character’s decisions over the course of the campaign. Under the particular eye of director Paul Robinson the humour is laid on thick in a tightly knit and precise performance. Libby Watson’s design, evocative of boardroom, living room and youth centre, is a strong addition to the play. The acting is good too; Marcus is superbly played by David Verrey, Syrus Lowe’s Darren is engagingly complex and Kate Sisson’s performs as Olivia with fervour and vigour, to name but a few.

Kate Sissons and David Verrey

The Charming Man is both compelling drama and engaging political satire. Aware of its own theatricality at all times, and focused on a cynical fantasy, it manages to paint an acute portrait of contemporary politics with charisma and wit. ‘Is the world ready for a gay couple in No 10?’ ‘Well what do you think we’ve got now?’

Tagged: Theatre 503