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Review: Rock

May 21, 2008

RockVenue: The Library Theatre
Date Reviewed: 21st May, 2008

star

Actor Bette Bourne and writer Tim Fountain received huge acclaim for their brilliant Resident Alien the Library’s hit play about the eccentric Englishman in New York, Quentin Crisp.

Now they team up to explore the seamy world of 1950’s Hollywood, exploring the myths behind those iconic hills, in particular, the agent Henry Wilson and his famous clients.

This clever, yet manipulative player was the man behind the likes of Tab Hunter, Troy Donaghue and the ill fated Rock Hudson.

Wilson describes Hollywood as the “greatest street on the face on the earth”, but as a maker of myths, his stars had to abide by the rules. Enter a naïve, awkward young actor named Roy Fitzgerald. Wilson reminds him that Marion Morrison (aka John Wayne) was never going to make it big in Westerns with that name!

This fascinating, slow burning tale has some very funny moments. We watch in awe as Wilson sprays young Rock’s body gold, dressing him up as an Oscar, in order to grab the morning headlines. It works as gawky Roy Fitzgerald becomes the box office gold that is Rock Hudson, before our very eyes.

Bourne is a mesmerising actor, even under-the-weather he turns in a skin deep performance, as the ageing, spent force that is Wilson. His expressive body language is extraordinary, buckling under the pressures of blackmail and alcoholism.

This intense two-hander evokes a feeling of claustrophobia as the looming shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy threatens to lift the lid on Wilson’s clients and the celluloid closet in which they inhabit. “You live their life for them”, says Wilson to Rock, referring to the fans, begging him to curb his homosexual lifestyle.

As Hudson’s Hollywood star shines brighter, his personal life threatens to kill his career. But where Fountain’s play excels, is that as the young actor grows in confidence, Wilson’s life becomes unbearable. The puppet master becomes the hunted and this makes the play incredibly poignant.

Tamara Harvey’s direction is fairly tight in a play of two contrasting halves, easing you in gently via Wilson’s wicked humour.

Michael Xavier’s Rock is an underwritten role as this is really his agent’s story. But the actor acquits himself very well, never completely overshadowed by the mighty Bourne.

Most of what you see, you will already know, but somehow Rock remains a gripping and interesting look at the past, which is not as archaic as you might expect. After all, how many ‘out’ Hollywood actors can you name?

-Glenn Meads

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