My Night With Reg (NHB Modern Plays)

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On the eve of their deployment to Vietnam, a group of young Marines have one last blow-out in San Francisco. Surprisingly, at least for me, the “dogfight” of the title does not refer specifically to their battlefield actions, but rather to a cruel ritual in which the men compete to bring the ugliest woman they can find as a date to a party. Drawing room comedy ... Edward M Corrie, Paul Keating and James Bradwell in My Night With Reg. Photograph: Mark Senior Opening in 1985 on an idyllic summer’s evening of booze and nostalgia, Kevin Elyot’s seminal piece about a group of gay friends and the titular – but never seen – Reg’s promiscuous ways sees the long overdue reunion of university friends mark the beginning of a catastrophic era that will affect all their lives.

Meatiest of them all is Julian Ovenden as John, the charismatic enigma of the group, a hyperconfident and fantastically wealthy former rugby player who appears to lives his life unattached and carefree. Ovenden's suave, energetic performance is the engine of the production. But its beating heart is Jonathan Broadbent as John’s old uni chum Guy. Fastidious, nerdy, shit-scared of Aids and a great cook, he’s been in love with John for 20 years, dying inside a little every time his friend shags somebody else. Which he does, a lot. South of the Thames, near the old Battersea Power Station, is the Turbine Theatre. It’s a lovely small intimate space with a very welcoming staff, jars of sweets on the bar, and a reputation for putting on some first-rate productions. So, I was really looking forward to my visit there for their latest show, a revival of the modern gay classic My Night With Reg. Paul Keating (Guy) -My Night With Reg – The Turbine Theatre – Photo by Mark Senior. Kevin’s own character lives on in that play, too. Any writer can’t help but put themselves in their work in a way. Kevin was a well-educated guy, and quite witty and fun, but there was always something slightly of the observer about him – not unlike the character Guy. But there are also flashes of him in Daniel. He had a real waspish wit, but with it this tremendous sense of compassion for others. In Benedict Andrews’ modern-set production, the sex and brutality of the relationships in Tennessee Williams’ 1947 Pulitzer Prize-winning play are clearer than ever. Stella (Vanessa Kirby) seems less deluded and bullied by Stanley (Ben Foster), than she is willingly and happily blinded by lust for him – and, as a result, complicit in Blanche’s fate.The Donmar title always brings you in! I’ve been there as a fan watching pieces for years, so to get a chance to play in the space is brilliant. I hadn’t actually heard of the play and then I read it and loved it. When I meant Rob [Hastie] the director and Kevin Elyot the writer, I realised what a special piece it was and what a great part Eric was as well. He goes from a boy to a man on stage and finds his own little area in the world and who he is. It was such a great arch to have as a character, so that was exciting. Co-artistic director Dan Jarvis says: “This is the first time we’ve toured to mid-scale theatres, which is really exciting for us and part of our ethos as a theatre company. We want to be nationally-recognised for creating LGBT theatre and for taking our work across the regions so that we make sure the best gay theatre isn’t always in London. The second half moves away from this reductionist approach and allows us to get a better sense of what’s not being said, by focusing more on silences and looks shared between the characters as they come to terms with Reg’s death and the uncomfortable conversations it prompts. The transition from the night of Reg’s funeral to the aftermath of Guy’s death is executed well, catching us by surprise to gently remind us of the debilitating AIDS crisis and its profound, almost inconspicuous impact on those who watched their loved ones pass away one by one. The light design is exceedingly minimal and unfocused, sometimes drawing our attention away from the characters onto the set. The set design by Lee Newby, whilst visually stunning, is used sparingly and only offers us an insight into the kind of life that Guy wanted to share with a partner but was never able to. When it comes to the acting, I don’t think it can be faulted, and I’m really going to single out Paul Keating here. Of all the characters in the show, Guy is the one I most identify with. Getting on in years, single but in love with someone that doesn’t love them, being the one people talk to, a bit socially awkward, and the person everyone calls ‘nice’, Guy and I have so much in common and Keating brings all that to the stage perfectly. He is helped in this by Lee Newby’s set design which is not only realistic but is pure Guy. And then there’s Eric, the naïve Brummie 18-year-old who’s just moved down to London and, whilst coping with sorting out his own sexuality, finds this group’s lifestyle bewildering and their promiscuity upsetting.

In The Lion, Benjamin performs 15 songs on six guitars to tell a 30-year story in 70 minutes. It’s his story, about his troubled relationship with his late father, who gave him his love for music, in the form of a cookie-tin banjo. What a remarkable testament to family and fortitude, with heart-achingly beautiful music and guitar-playing fireworks. And the St James’ downstairs cabaret space is the perfect venue for it. An absolute must-see!

Oh yes, totally. I have a few friends who are gay and went through that time period, so I spoke to them and asked them about their experiences. I had to be quite delicate because it was such a harsh time, there was terrifying disease and no one really knew about it. [It] completely took out friendship groups, so I knew I had to be quite sensitive when asking people about it. As for Gillian Anderson’s Blanche, you just don’t want to take your eyes off her. This is a stealthy cougar with sharp claws, aggressively sexual and fatally wounded by rejection. Certain aspects of the play don’t work so well in Andrews’ modern setting, and the director’s choice to use the stage resolve incessantly adds little, but there’s no doubt that his interpretation has breathed new life into another classic. My Night With Reg was premiered at The Royal Court in London in 1994, transferring to the West End where it won accolades including Olivier and Evening Standard awards for best comedy. The last time I saw My Night With Reg on stage there was no interval. This production does include one but I felt it could have been more evenly divided up. Whilst I appreciate the naked male body, the nudity in this play is irrelevant to the story and unnecessary – it would be great if there were a purpose to it.