Gethsemane

Synopsis

Once it was possible to do good by being good. Now the only way to do good is by being clever. Nothing is more important to a modern political party than fund-raising. But the values of the donors can’t always coincide with the professed beliefs of the party. And family scandal within the cabinet has the potential to throw both the money-raisers and the money-spenders into chaos. This richly imagined ensemble play about British public life looks at the way business, media and politics are now intertwined to nobody’s advantage, as, in an unforgiving world, one character after another passes through Gethsemane.

Our Review:

12 November 2008

David Hare’s new play is one of his very best and easily the best play of the year. It draws on aspects of contemporary public life – and characters – to weave a beautifully plotted drama of lost idealism, hypocrisy in journalism (“mockery oils the wheels of democracy”), political party fund-raising and, especially, the scandal of the systematic demoralisation of teachers.

The play’s title refers to Christ’s night of doubt in the Garden of Gethsemane. Only Lori Drysdale (Nicola Walker), a former teacher who is now busking at Baron’s Court, has seriously questioned her own mission statement. Others are holding this process at bay: Tamsin Greig’s business-like Home Secretary, Meredith Guest; Stanley Townsend’s pony-tailed, squash-playing Labour Party fundraiser, Otto Fallon; Adam James’ muck-raking journalist Geoff Benzine, an academic medievalist who slipped into Fleet Street after writing a couple of book reviews.

At the centre of the play is Jessica Raine’s sco...

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Latest User Review

CAA - 14 January 2009:

This play has had some pretty good reviews, and I certainly rate David Hare. However, I did not feel that this was a fully rounded play, in particular the second act just seemed to lose focus, it is well acted and has some good moments but it just didn't work for me....

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