The Present

Set
in 1980, days after the assassination of John Lennon, the play tells the story
of Danny, an English teenager in Australia. Michael, an aging hippy and cynical
art dealer, takes the boy under his wing and introduces him to a world of sex,
drugs and modern installation art. The feeling is of a latter day
Dorian Gray.

This
four-hander showcases some very good acting. As Michael, Nathan Godkin is
electric, hilarious and very creepy. Shelly Lang, playing the man-eating
lesbian Becky, gives one of the best performances I have ever seen on the
Fringe. She creates a character who is at once both larger than life and
totally believable.

Max
Lindsay however is woefully miscast as Danny. This character hinges on the
tension between youth’s naive corruptibility and its power to corrupt.
Unfortunately Lindsay conveys either quality: he is simply not 18-years-old. It
is worth mentioning that the actor originally cast – and therefore featured in
all the publicity material – was laid low by swine flu during rehearsals. It’s
a shame, because that actor’s angelic looks would have explained the other
characters’ desire to recapture the optimism of their own youth by feeding off
Danny’s.

The
white, minimalist set works well, suggesting both Spartan gallery space and
sun-bleached beach houses. It also provides a nice, jarring contrast with the
messily Bohemian antics of the characters. There is some slightly awkward
staging, however, so try to get there early for a seat in the front
row.

Any
play that comes with the warning “contains nudity and incense” should be
approached with extreme caution. However The Present
is far from self-indulgent. It is an intelligent, moving play that will make you
laugh and leave you wanting to see more revivals of Nick Ward’s work.

– Georgia Blake