In On The Act with Jackie Keirs - Gethsemane

Nothing is more powerful than the image of Christ in the Garden, asking for the cup of suffering to be taken from him while his disciples sleep. He goes on to be betrayed by Judas and is taken to the cross. We know the story.

Although taking care to describe Gethsemane as ”pure fiction”, David Hare has evidently set his ‘night of doubt’ in the context of the later years of the Blair administration, at a time when any residual New Labour idealism found itself in conflict with a ‘new pragmatism’. As Meredith Guest, Home Secretary, proclaims to her daughter, Suzette: “I went into politics for rather more high-minded reasons. To make a difference.” While Otto Fallon, (party fund-raiser, one time pop-music impresario and hairdresser, educated in the school of knocks and university of life), declares: “That’s why this government’s so successful. They accept money. … And whatever works - then, right, that’s what you must do.”

Gethsemene

The protagonists are vividly characterised and strongly acted to indicate their role in the parable. Tamsin Greig cuts a superbly elegant figure as Meredith, the career politician, who lacks the maternal skills to cope with her truculent teenage daughter, Suzette (Jessica Raine), doing sex and drugs in a very public way. Abetted by his savvy “I’m just going to smear on a hint of foie gras” side-kick, Frank (Pip Carter), Stanley Townsend as Otto exuberantly bestrides the stage, never more so than when he wins at squash - in a court designed by his own architect, as he makes clear! - against honest Mike Drysdale (Daniel Ryan), a rather unlikely recruit to his team. Mike is married to Lori (Nicole Walker), the disappointed idealist we so often find in David Hare’s plays, in this case a failed musician turned music teacher at a comprehensive school.

The Prime Minister, Alec (Anthony Calf), favours us with his casual charm in just one scene: revealed behind his drum kit, he emerges to lecture Meredith with quasi-religious sincerity on entrepreneurs, journalists and loyal fund-raisers, Otto in particular. Once Messianic party leader, Alec emerges as David Hare’s ultimate Judas figure, having sold us all down the river for thirty pieces of silver.

Throughout the play the dialogue is slick, clever and ultimately quite hollow, just like the flak that now assails us every day on the airwaves! Bob Crowley’s naked white box set is just right: it gives visual form to the heart of the play, the pure shape becoming office, bar, squash-court and Sicilian coastline as required. Above there is the projection designers’ vision of a London in constant motion, as car headlights race or sidle through a dense landscape of lines and shapes. Meanwhile the sound-track by Dominic Muldowney contributes classical phrases which float through an electronic field, echoing the set as it creates atmosphere for each scene.

Gethsemane

In fact the role of music is ultimately crucial to the play: Lori had taught music in the school where Suzette was once a pupil, and in their first conversation together Suzette recalls her words, “Music’s the highest of the arts … it doesn’t depend on meaning”. As a teacher Lori had dedicated herself to sharing her love of music with her students, reaching out to them in ways that transcend social barriers, aiming to broaden their horizons and nurture the good … It is perhaps all the more surprising, then, that it is Lori, Hare’s central character, who seems to have misunderstood the true meaning of Gethsemane.

Early on, Lori starts to tell Otto that, before leaving teaching, she had ‘had a sort of Gethsemane’, which she is reluctant to explain. Then, in the last scene, trying to justify her abdication to Suzette, she summons up the same image, seeming to revel in self-pity. But Suzette takes Lori up on this, pointing out that she has interpreted the story selectively: whereas Christ continued on his path, Lori has fallen by the wayside. She has never had the courage to ’see her ideal through’; defeated, she has stopped performing, stopped teaching and has now even stopped playing the piano.

Yet the very last image in Gethsemane suggests an acceptance, a hope. Suzette leaves and Lori is alone. She begins to touch the table as if fingering the keys of a piano. With more confidence, ‘her fingers fly, dexterous, obedient’, and she allows herself to find reassurance in the notes of a Beethoven sonata …

A vibrant take on the lives of a recent generation of the political class and its groupies, Gethsemane is excellent comic satire, entertaining and thought-provoking. Will we never be rid of these ‘vile politicians’?

Cottesloe Theatre until Feb 24th then touring:

Windsor Theatre Royal: 3 - 7 March
Newcastle Theatre Royal: 10 - 14 Mar
Cambridge Arts Theatre: 17 - 21 Mar
Bath Theatre Royal: 24 - 28 Mar
Brighton Theatre Royal: 31 - 4 April

See www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/touring for full information

Tickets from £10

National Theatre Box Office: 0207 452 3000

- Jackie Keirs

One Response to “In On The Act with Jackie Keirs - Gethsemane”

Whistling in the Dark on March 13th, 2009 1:40 am

Gethsemane by David Hare at Theatre Royal, Newcastle…

Went with Kevin to see Gethsemane at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle on opening night on Tuesday. It is on until Saturday (with matinees on Thursday and Saturday.)
I love playwright David Hare. One of my all-time favorite theatre experiences was writt…

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