"Horse Play" (Play review)

...by Ken Duncum.
Performed by ATC, at Maidment Theatre.
Dir. Simon Bennett
John Leigh as Ronald Hugh Morrieson.
Tim Balme as James K. Baxter

This is a welcome addition to the "what if?" type of play, chance meetings which never actually happened, pitting real life characters against each other as values and perspectives search for new, non-contextual, relevance.

In this case it's the prophet/poet James K. Baxter meets Underrated (at the time) and promising Morrieson.

Strong features of this play were the central performances of the 2 blokes, and the supporting female performances.

The mood shifted strongly, between outright hilarity through to pathetic (genuine) poignancy, through psychotic rage, and everything else in between.

The most hilarious scene was shortly after the start of Act 2, with James K Baxter facing summary execution at the hands of Morrieson, and with the horse in question's rear end and back legs playing a significant part in Baxter's fate.

And the most beautiful section Morrieson's go-for-it monologue towards the end of the play, where he proves (at least to this audience, in this reality), that he can be a poet (a bit of a Hawera transposition of Under Milkwood).

Having seen Robin Hood last week, I have been through a very post-modern week where it really doesn't matter too much how "real" incidents are, or should I say "factual", and certainly found the Morrieson/Baxter menage exciting, slick, powerfully acted and novel.

Is it great, iconic theatre? Who can say? Will time tell?

Whatever it was, it was a great night out!

Thanks, ATC )also loved the Anthony Watson music which added tension/zeitgeist and nostalgia to the proceedings).

G.