Review of Gore Vidals “The Best Man” BNT24 Sept-1 Oct 2016.
If Director Peter Nethercote chose the play “The Best Man” in order to prep us all for the coming American Presidential Election then it was a brilliant idea. It is a marvellous window into the hurly burly and razzmatazz that we all expect to see in the American political bullring.
The play concerns the wheeling and dealing that goes on behind the closed doors of the two Presidential Candidates’ neighbouring hotel suites, shortly before the final Ballot for the Candidate, and how they and their Supporters must manoeuvre to keep their murky pasts from the unsuspecting Public. The two Candidates, Secretary of State William Russell with his wife Alice, (Mary-Rose McLaren) and Senator Joe Cantwell, with wife Mabel, (Liana Emmerson) are well portrayed as two contrasting characters; William as the upright type reluctant to dish the dirt on his opponent, and Joe as the “whatever it takes” type who will do anything to win. Mark Courneyea and Simon Carroll succeed admirably in portraying these differing men and the moral dilemmas that they grapple with in their differing ways. The final outcome is a surprise that I cannot reveal.as it is a state secret.
The supporting cast includes some very satisfying characters; an ailing but wily ex-president, still full of political fire (Greg Roberts), who knows the ropes, and that “You gotta pour God all over everything like Ketchup” to succeed, and Senator Clyde Carlin, (Matt Mercer),
a stentorian type who looks and sounds every inch a Real Senator. Well cast also is the busybody Socialite Mrs Sue-Ellen Gamadge (Christine Holmes) whom no politician can afford to ignore. The two “witnesses” to the candidates’ secret pasts (Dr Artinian; Tony McGuinness, and Major Sheldon Marcus; Michael Zala), together with the candidates’ two ‘Minders’ (Don Blades; Nathan Brown, and Dick Jensen: Trevor Day, help to complete this smart stage production.
It is the Chorus that can add greatly to the atmosphere and “feel” of a production, and here the offstage/onstage babble of Reporters and Paparazzi lend so much to the feel of this play as they, crowding at the door, Burst into an urgent clamour immediately the hotel door is opened, only to be instantly silenced when the door is slammed shut. Similarly the music is well chosen with its selection of Military Band and fife-and-drum themes evoking the times.
On stage The Best Man is done with surprisingly realistic American accents....always a hard trick to carry off. This very pleasing production shows Peter Nethercote’s trademark careful directing hand and attention to detail: the action is well-paced and interesting, and this reviewer left well satisfied.
John Williams
