20th May 2023, matinee
The Motive and the Cue gives us a rare opportunity to find out what happens when one of the biggest film stars in the world decides to take a pay cut to perform one of Shakespeare’s most challenging roles on Broadway. The story revolves around Richard Burton who, in 1964, hired John Gielgud to direct him in Hamlet. It seems astonishing to think that at the time Gielgud was short of offers and took the gig out of desperation. It also seems surprising that Burton, a modernist in many ways, would choose an actor so strongly associated with the classical tradition to direct him.
And so we have the perfect set-up for a fascinating glimpse into a creative process which seems to have the odds stacked against it. The stakes are high – Burton could have rested risk-free on his laurels, but having made the declaration of intent, any retreat after that would seem like a humiliation. For Gielgud, his reputation as ‘star whisperer’ was on the line. The central paradox is that both need each other, both have something to learn from each other, but will either of them be able to put their egos to one side long enough to find out?
Anyone familiar with William Goldman’s book ‘Adventures in the Screen Trade’ will recognise the inherent difficulties of dealing with an actor who, as a ‘star’, comes with a set of requirements that are often inimical to the creation of art. The sense of entitlement being one of the biggest barriers.
Hamlet culminates in a fencing match that starts out politely and ends in a desperate struggle for life or death. “You do but dally. I pray you pass with your best violence. I am afeared you make a wanton of me” says Hamlet to Laertes before he realises that the fencing match is in fact cover for a plot against his life.
In ‘The Motive and the Cue’, there is a similar progression. The first read-through is almost a performance for the press who are waiting outside, with all the actors dressed for a special occasion, and exchanging polite banter. By the end we have been through arguments, drunken outbursts, violence and the near implosion of the whole project.
There is a scene early on with illustrates this perfectly. Burton, having insisted that the production should be in ‘rehearsal clothes’, has bought himself an expensive outfit in best ‘dress-down’ chic, and whilst putting on his trousers in a somewhat drunken state, he falls over, causing his wife to quip that he should be more careful, as the headlines would be embarrassing if he killed himself. The question will be whether this successful actor, surrounded by sycophants, can divest himself of the trappings of fame for long enough to inhabit the unique Hamlet, which, according to Gielgud, all actors are capable of delivering.
This is a meeting between the irresistible force and the immovable object on many levels, which we have the delight of exploring in an intriguing fly on the wall experience, with the drama beautifully crafted by Jack Thorne. Using a deceptively simple formula, the scenes are carefully selected to entertain and enlighten. At times rehearsals feel more like a therapeutic intervention with the childlike Burton constantly pushing the boundaries of his Director, irritated when he is given line readings, and positively belligerent when he is told that he may choose to ignore any notes given to him. Gielgud is constantly seeking ways to give him guidance without seeming to, patiently hoping and waiting for a great performance to emerge. We know we will not be treated to the finished product, but the insights into Hamlet that we gain along the way, and the constant interweaving of the play, the actors’ personalities, and the process they are going through, enriches our experience of both. The resolution is as satisfying for the audience as it is, we hope, for the actors both past and present.
Back-stage dramas are often appealing, but to have such forceful personalities as John Gielgud, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor brought to life on the stage which such skill and wit is a pleasure to behold. Most of the time we forgot altogether that we were watching Mark Gatiss and not Gielgud himself. He does have the best lines and relishes every one, with a performance that is both witty and touching. Johnny Flynn bore an uncanny vocal resemblence to Richard Burton, and for our money delivered a superior ‘To Be or Not To Be’ (albeit a rehearsal room version), somehow exuding both star quality and touchingly intimate sincerity. Tuppence Middleton delivered some light relief with a performance that hinted that we were in the presence of Hollywood Royalty without overwhelming the central story. Sam Mendes’ unfussy direction makes the play fly by and leaves us wanting more, with a rousing ending that teasingly evokes the start of the actual production of Hamlet
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