A Life in Three Acts (part one)
August 30, 2009
Traverse
18-30 Aug, times vary
“As the old prostitute said: it’s not the work, it’s the stairs” quips Bette Bourne as he takes his seat opposite interviewer Mark Ravenhill and proceeds to divulge an extraordinary personal history.
Bourne, best known for his leading role in the gay liberation movement and as a founder of Bloolips, is an entertaining and important figure in recent British performance history. The first part of this three part journey focuses on his wartime childhood, early sexual awakening, difficult relationship with his father and first forays into classical acting. It’s both moving and extremely funny; as a raconteur the Bourne takes some beating.
“What brought your parents together?” asks Ravenhill. “A joint sense of innocence” Bourne replies, before adding coolly, “that and they were both sex mad”.
Ravenhill makes for the ideal interviewer – his sensitivity towards his subject is touching and he allows Bourne just the right amount of space to improvise around the set script. Bourne reads his lines from a music stand in front of him, and indeed there’s something musical in the way he delivers them; a camp, cockney rasp spouting searing insights and filthy gags with equal nuance.
This is a delight to watch, and an important story to hear – full credit to Ravenhill for noting it and to Bourne for having the courage to share it.
- Theo Bosanquet
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EIF: 14 August-6 September
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