The turned-wood bar set is visible to the audience before the show begins. Ashtrays, partially drunk pints of beer, and a vase of silk flowers accompany a selection of era-appropriate music to initiate the immersive experience of the 1960s.
Opening with the heart-wrenching hanging of Hennessy (Trevor Anderson), it establishes the underlying discourse that questions the effectiveness of capital punishment when the line between innocent and guilty is unclear. Fast-forwarding to the abolition of this practice two years later, we meet the now-retired hangman Harry Wade who was responsible for said hanging.
Played superbly by Brant Eustace, Harry is a driving force of the play and a formidable presence to his regular customers, friends, and family. In an ambitious production that required the use of Northern English accents, Eustace commands the space with confidence and consistency, with the audience hanging on every boisterous word.
Helping to run the pub is his flinty wife Alice (Rachel Dalton) and naïve teenage daughter Shirley (Finty McBain), who add dimension and colour to the ensemble of regulars who frequent it. Among them are Bill, former Hangman Doctor and very convincing sot portrayed by Steve Marvanek, and comfortably indolent Inspector Fry by Russell Slater. Greg Janzow and Leighton Vogt provide some well-timed comic relief with the hearing-impaired Arthur and earnest Charlie, respectively, who often relays jokes for the former, only for Arthur to cut through to some uncomfortable truths.
This dark comedy is intensified by the fanatical tendencies of Joshua Coldwell’s performance as Peter Mooney. Contrasting unapologetically with a loud lower-class London accent, Mooney wafts comfortably into the pub and Shirley’s life, with chilling comments and claims that are Trump-like with their grandiosity. Leaving the audience unsure whether he is telling the truth, Coldwell creates a thrilling sense of unease and unpredictability as he interacts with the timid Syd Armfield, portrayed by Jack Robbins, playing with the themes of morality and justice. This is complemented with lighter humour in the form of Tom Tassone’s persistent reporter, Derek Clegg, and Gary George’s stage-stealing performance as Albert Pierrepoint, who makes Eustace’s Harry Wade look small.
Lighting was used to great effect to highlight specific areas of the stage to reduce set changes and to distinguish the times of day, with the inclusion of evocative 60’s songs to fill the blackout scene transitions. However, the overhanging section of the bar tended to create shadows over the faces of those leaning through from behind or blocking audience viewpoints with the pillars. Attention to detail in other elements, such as set pieces, costumes, and props, was a joy as they alluded to a specific time that appeared to be much loved.
Accents were understandably a challenge in this production, particularly as this reviewer has family in Yorkshire against which to compare. While Eustace and McBain reliably kept to their chosen region of Northern England, Dalton and Slater contained occasional tinges of Geordie, Irish, Yorkshire, and elements of Lancashire, but this didn’t detract from their character’s physicality.
The blend of comedy and tragedy in Martin McDonagh’s play ‘Hangmen’ is forefront in Fagan’s direction. This fast-paced evening of not knowing what to expect next bookends the controversial dialogue on capital punishment. This South Australian premiere, in an intimate theatre space, is not to be missed.
Book your tickets for Hangmen @ https://holdenstreettheatres.online.red61.com.au/event/890:17/
Season:- 26 October 2024-2 November 2024
Running Time:- 120 minutes
Venue:- Holden Street Theatres, The Studio
Photographer:- Richard Parkhill
