His Greatness

Written by Daniel McIvor, 2007

Directed by Ché Walker

Stage and Costume Design by Jean-Marc Puissant

Lighting by Armin Friess

Images © courtesy of Finborough Theatre

Based on a true story, the play is a huis-clos between Tennessee Williams, his assistant and a male prostitute, before and after an opening night in Vancouver. The audience’s feet scuffing the carpet add unease to the claustrophobic escalation of passions we witness, over two days, in a slightly grubby, faded hotel room.

The Stage by Jonathan Watson

I loved the stage design, a simple hotel room that evokes a desperate atmosphere and Che Walker’s direction was infallible.

 

Time Out by Andrzej Lukowski

Ché Walker’s finely weighted production is all about the performances. Marsh is the main event, but Bentley and Wharton offer invaluable support; together their chemistry is palpable, euphoria, lust and despair flickering between them and electrifying the purgatorial hotel room.

 

StageWon by Gabriella Shimeld-Fenn

Staged in traverse, the audience feels increasingly voyeuristic as this talented triumvirate alternately spark off each other and descend into despair, with Jean-Marc Puissant’s bland hotel room set, and Arnim Friess’ lighting, providing an excellent backdrop as the characters’ dependencies on intoxicants, and each other, are revealed, with no little help from Ché Walker’s masterful direction.

 

The Public Reviews by Ian Foster

Jean-Marc Puissant’s traverse design does an excellent job of transforming the Finborough’s space into a slightly drab hotel room, double bed at one end and desk at the other, from where bon mots are bounced and verbal volleys are launched, languid seductions attempted and frustrated dreams ground down to dust.