When we think back in history to musicians who have had a profound influence in their industry, and an even greater effect on people who love them, there are a handful of people. George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were The Beatles, and at the height of their career in the mid to late 1960’s, they caused what was coined, “Beatlemania”.
It is during this time when “All Things Must Pass”, a play performed by the Lane Cove Theatre Company, focuses on. Written by David Potter and directed by Luke Derrick, this play takes its name as a nod to one of the solo albums released by George Harrison in 1970. This title makes sense on two fronts. One reason being that the play, although featuring all four Beatles, does have a steady focus on George (Matt Clayton). The other reason I think the title suits, was a bit of a play on words. Following John Lennon’s death, the play examined the aftermath of a friend’s murder, and the grief of the remaining members. Towards the end, George mused, “Life doesn’t conclude, it just stops. What does it mean to us?” thinking that everyone passes and “death is taking off your suit”, so life is one thing that simply passes.
The play opens with George in his living room, silent and upset. It has only been a short while since John Lennon was shot. Ringo, (Blake Nicholas), comes to visit and we quickly see the dynamics of these two friends. Nicholas plays Ringo with natural charm, showing his character’s optimism as his tries to gently cheer up his friend. Paul (Rachel Benedict) arrives and soon they are visited by the memory of John (Clayton Moss).
They are soon transported in time back to the 1960’s where all four band members are being interviewed and filmed – bantering on the couch. All four are sitting in a row, squeezed together and completely at ease with each other and with the media. I would say that this scene represented that it was as good as it would get between the band members, and relationships appeared to fracture after this point.
“All Things Must Pass” takes a deeper look into the strained relationships between the four, most notably between Paul and George. It appeared that Benedict’s character Paul was mostly terse and unhappily snarky throughout the entire play, and it may have been purposeful, although this did make him unlikeable. One of his quotes showed arrogance – he snaps at George, “I was the one who made you!” after George brings up that he was unhappy that Paul was suing him. Paul completely refuses to take responsibility for the legal action, blaming his lawyer.
Ringo remained level headed and patient, even playing chess with himself (three games!) as Paul and George recorded in the Abbey Road studios. Nicholas did a great job of portraying Ringo and his laid back character. John, re-joining the three at different times to show the audience what life was like back before he died, appeared later on to take himself away on “trips” (of the pharmaceutical non-legal kind).
Brian Epstein (Nat Jenson) was The Beatles manger and whenever he came onto the stage, he did so in a whirlwind of exuberance, if not a bit over the top. He guided their career and was said to have made their commercial success by putting them into matching suits, securing their record contract and guiding them.
The time periods skipped back and forth throughout the 1960’s and upward, with the intended date projected onto the screen behind the actors. The set was very simple, with a minimalistic look. The screen showed black and white sketches of where they were, sometimes in George’s living room, other tines in the Abbey Road Studio or on a rooftop in London. Costumes were also streamlined. The characters wore suits, with no change of costume.
Matt Clayton was a standout in this play. His Liverpool accent never dropped and his portrayal of George Harrison kept the audience riveted. I was impressed by the monologues that George said, which often gave us an insight into his mental health. His way of coping with life after John died was to become immersed in spirituality. In one scene, he was meditating, repeating the “Hare Krishna” mantra over and over, all the while being drowned out by the increasing volume of noise and chaos of the outside world. In this intense scene, it seemed to be a catalyst for the other times where it was mentioned that the screaming and attention of fans were unwelcome. It culminated in George shouting, “Leave me alone with my thoughts! Just let me die!”
Sara Vencalkova and Anastasia Vokhmyakova completed the cast, playing different roles; the reporters, photographers and other characters which added to this story. This is an original play about another side of The Beatles, about being famous, and mostly about friendship, life and grief.
“All Things Must Pass” is in partnership with The Fringe Festival and is on from 10 -13 September 2026 at Pottery Lane Performance Space.
Time: Approximately 100 minutes with a 15 minute interval.
Tickets: www.sydneyfringe.com/events/all-things-must-pass-a-play-about-the-beatles
To book tickets to All Things Must Pass, please visit https://sydneyfringe.com/events/all-things-must-pass-a-play-about-the-beatles/.
