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When I saw the words comedy and Admiral Duncan bombing in the same sentence I was to say the least of it alarmed.
My fears were soon allayed. It is without doubt a comedy, and a good one, but for one of the characters there is a reference point to the bombing.
The central couple - Lewis, an eighteen-year-old boxing hopeful for the 2012 Olympics and his older partner Tom who ten years ago was in the pub provide us with the enthusiasm of youth and the wisdom of an older man.
The conflicts play out in the living room of Lewis' Mum, desperately holding his birthday party together. The one-liners come thick and fast. Anna Lindup who plays Rachel, the Mum has a wonderful sense of comedy timing and not one laugh falls by the wayside. Shana Swash, as the gloriously lippy daughter Colleen provides an excellent foil for banter and insults.
Into this already fraught scenario walks Mac, Lewis' trainer - smarmily and unpleasantly played by Timothy Dodd, representing not only the homophobic world of boxing but also the hatred of some people towards homosexuality.
The evening is hugely enjoyable and thought provoking because of its themes and its tight comedy playing. Lewis the bombastic and convincing teenager, admirably played by Jay Brown is looking forward and initially pays little heed to his partners desire to remember and honour the past. Nic Gilder, as Tom, sensitively conveys that his is not a morbid wallowing in the past but a genuine reflection of what it is to be gay and to be 'Proud' in the face of homophobia then - The Admiral Duncan bombing, and more relevantly, now in the face of Lewis' trainer Mac.
This play is a relevant and timely reminder of what it is to be gay in the noughties.
By Tom Hough
“Stanley writes in a wonderfully blunt comic style that admirably suits the comedy of manners that makes up most of the play.”
“The casting is excellent”
“…a fun evening at this burgeoning new venue”
by Paul Vale
Full Review:
For his 18th birthday party, boxing hopeful Lewis is looking forward to a night in with his boyfriend, his family and his homophobic trainer.
John Stanley’s new play represents a sterling attempt to marry farcical comedy with weightier themes.
Stanley writes in a wonderfully blunt comic style that admirably suits the comedy of manners that makes up most of the play. This tone dominates the work and problems arise when Stanley asks his audience to think much harder than any of his characters bother to.
Issues such as gay men in sports, Olympic aspirations and remembrance of the Admiral Duncan bombing dilute the focus and sit uncomfortably in the comic narrative established in the first act. Broad stereotypes exist here, but they are relatively believable and director Christian Durham keeps the pace up and brings this selection of oddball characters to life.
The casting is excellent and centres on a remarkably realistic performance from Jay Brown as the spoiled, buff 2012 hopeful Lewis. His lover, 20 years his senior, is thoughtfully portrayed by Nic Gilder.
Timothy Dodd puts in a super slimy turn as Lewis’ sports trainer and Emma Swinn gets most of the more sophisticated one-liners as Ally. Anna Lindup plays the outrageously doting working-class mother to great effect and Shana Swash is the put-upon sister charmingly underplayed but woefully under-written.
There is enough raw-material in Proud to make for a fun evening at this burgeoning new venue. With more work, it could become a thought-provoking and provocative evening too.
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