CHARLIE CONDOU CHATS ABOUT "NEXT FALL"
A warm-up activity for Next Fall with
Ben Cura
Charlie Condou
Mitch Mullen
Sirine Saba
stephenfry: Highly recommend this new american gay play @NextFallLND on at the @swkplay with @charliecondou for only a few weeks! http://goo.gl/kGzy2Y
REVIEW:
Next Fall at the Southwark Playhouse
Oct 2014
Theatre Review by Ginger Hibiscus
Modern day New York, and Luke (Martin Delaney) is lying in a hospital bed, unconscious and unaware of the emotional turmoil hanging heavy in the air of the waiting room. Outside, his devoutly Christian – yet divorced – parents hold vigil with his friends and long term partner, Adam (Charlie Condou), as each desperately tries to come to terms with his accident; and with each other. As the hours pass, such different perspectives founded on antithetical ideology – but each rooted in a desire for good, and love for Luke- rub the fragile membrane of calmness that rests in the hospital waiting room increasingly raw, as tender caresses of affection begin to draw the blood of frustration.
Superb writing by Geoffrey Nauffts beautifully balances all of this with light, dry and sarcastic humour, as we skip backwards and forwards to key moments in Adam and Luke’s relationship. As we trace their highs and lows, we’re offered an absorbing window into a very ordinary relationship with very ordinary tensions, but one that’s just bursting with love, humour and affection. Charlie Condou is outstanding as Adam, sardonic and scathing with facial expressions that could replace a thousand words. His character is reminiscent of House (as played by Hugh Laurie), a fascinatingly intelligent man always in search for a universal truth, demanding rational congruity by pointing out inconsistencies and revelling in the debate, but doing it in a really, really funny way.
Opposite Condou, Martin Delaney’s Luke is excellent, enjoying an enviable role as the only person not sat in that waiting room, despite being at the heart of its dynamics. In a thoroughly convincing acting performance, we really do come to understand the nuances of his relationships with every other character, delivering a fascinating exploration of how, as humans, we’re able to morph into subtly different versions of ourselves, and how we can have meaningful relationships based on those different versions.
One of those relationships, is Luke’s with God. A practicing Christian but in a deeply committed gay relationship with an atheist, the play asks interesting questions on the interplay between sexuality and religion, and the nature of sin and forgiveness. Whilst this is an element that’s arguably more relevant to US audiences (with a greater prevalence of evangelical ideology across the Atlantic), it’s one of the most interesting elements to the play and one that certainly does still resonate here; not least because it opens up questions about all kinds of faith, including that outside of organised religion. Swerving the temptation to try to define “right” and “wrong,” or impose any views on the audience, it’s the ability of the play to ask the questions, rather than answer them, that makes it so strong.
Under brilliant direction from Luke Sheppard, the cast are permitted – or rather empowered – to form their own views of their characters and really get inside their heads. And in turn, this leads to universally strong performances from all. Nancy Crane is stoical yet gentle as Arlene, Mitchell Mullen immovable and fiercely faithful as the slightly less savoury Butch,Ben Cura pious and judgemental in his attempts to save souls as Brandon, and completing the group, Sirine Saba is captivatingly quirky, accepting and affectionate as Holly.
A passionate cast besotted by Nauffts’ exquisite writing, it’s these people that make Next Fall so wonderful, and that make it so difficult to define. It looks at faith, and love, and life, at relationships, and tragedy, and the nature of truth, all set in a context of a gay relationship. It feels like a step on from Stonewall’s “some people are gay, get over it,” campaign, and reveals that – shock, horror – gay people aren’t just one homogenous group with identical views and experiences.
Next Fall gives us a thoughtful, tender and absorbing window into a very ordinary relationship just bursting with and love, humour and affection. And it’s safe to say I’ve joined the cast in being besotted by it. In short, don’t go to see Next Fall because it’s a gay play. Go to see it because it’s a great play.
For tickets and information: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/the-little/next-fall
Dates: 24th September – 25th October 2014
“I want you to love me more than you love Him”.
What happens when religion gets in the way of love? That’s the key question in Next Fall, a play in which homosexuality is normalised and religion is the mark of the outsider. When atheist Adam (Charlie Condou) discovers his boyfriend Luke (Martin Delaney) is a Christian, it forces him to question his own beliefs. Is his lack of faith holding him back from true love? And with Luke on his deathbed in hospital, what will become of their relationship in the afterlife? Their relationship is told through flashback as we witness the couple overcoming their religious differences to make their relationship work.
Next Fall is directed by Luke Sheppard, following his exciting production of In The Heights earlier this year. Yet again he is bringing a Broadway hit to the UK for its premiere and here he directs with clarity and a sympathetic touch to portraying life in modern New York. He is undoubtedly a director to keep an eye on.
On the surface, the play is a typical hospital drama. It all begins with an almighty crash and, with Luke in a coma, his nearest and dearest are forced together to confront their differences. So far, so typical. Yet beneath the gentle sitcom rhythm of this modern-day play, it simmers with tension and thematic depth. Writer Geoffrey Nauffts has delivered an emotional wolf in sheep’s clothing: nuanced, easy to watch, but offering an honest and thought-provoking exploration of relationships.
This is clearly a man’s world, however, the female characters used for little more than comic relief. Where the core narrative revolves around the central couple and Luke’s unaccepting and religious father Butch (a menacingly macho Mitchell Mullen), his mother Arlene (Nancy Crane) and Adam’s friend Holly (Sirine Saba) are pushed to the sidelines. That said, Crane has both impeccable comic-timing and a subtle touch, whilst Saba is loveable as the hippyish, yoga-devoted, fag hag friend. Ben Cura is also a joy to watch as Luke’s friend Brandon.
The real heart of the production, however, comes from the believable and genuine portrayal of Adam and Luke from Condou and Delaney, who perform with truth and conviction. Condou is cynical and sassy as Adam; Delaney’s Luke is a well-rounded character struggling with both his acting career and his sexuality. Their relationship shouldn't work, but somehow it does. Stunning naturalistic performances alongside some touching incidental music from Pippa Cleary elevate the piece to something beautiful.
Rating: 4/5
Watch: Next Fall runs at the Southwark Playhouse until 25th October 2014.
Tuesday, 7 October 2014
Review - Next Fall at the Southwark Playhouse
IT must be a gamble for any actor to leave the cosy confines of a successful and relatively stable job and head for pastures new.
But for Charlie Condou, the decision to leave the cobbles of Coronation Street behind for a return to the stage has been a good one.
And he has picked a decent play to do so. Said play is Next Fall, a funny and poignant tale written by Geoffrey Nauffts about two gay guys and their relationship with each other and religion.
Luke, played by Martin Delaney, is gay, a Christian and from America's Deep South. Despite his obvious strong and unquestioning faith in Jesus, he still "sins" as much as he can, though he prays immediately afterwards.
Adam, played by Charlie, could not be more different. He is an atheist, from New York and gets more and more frustrated with Luke's praying. You almost get the impression that with Jesus in the frame there are three of them in this relationship.
The play itself is set for the most part in a hospital in Manhattan and the action is cleverly played out in both real time and flashbacks.
It is here that Luke lies fighting for his life after a car accident. As his parents, friends and Adam gather round his bedside and try and come to terms with what's happened, the situation becomes tense as long-held secrets begin to tumble out and hearts are broken.
It is a beautifully crafted story, often hilariously funny, at times very poignant, and with themes of love, faith, truth and friendship at its core.
The cast is excellent in particular Nancy Crane as Luke's manic chatterbox mother Arlene who has superb comic timing and Mitchell Mullen's Luke's father Butch. Here is a man who has spent his life believing that gays and blacks have no place in America and yet now has to come to terms with his son's sexuality.
But it is Charlie Condou as Adam who really shines and the scenes with him and Martin Delaney are some of the best.
Next Fall is on at the Southwark Playhouse, Newington Causeway until October 25. Tickets cost £18. Visit www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk or call the box office on 020 7407 0234.
Independent on Sunday opens ‘Rainbow List’ nominations
Posted On 06 Oct 2014
The Independent on Sunday has opened the nominations for its Rainbow List – the new name for the paper’s established annual Pink List.
THE PIONEERING list, now in its fifteenth year, celebrates The Independent on Sunday’s 101 most influential lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Britain with Nicola Adams, Clare Balding and Paris Lees among those to previously top the list.
Voting opened yesterday, Sunday October 5, and The Independent on Sunday is calling for people to submit their nominations for their LGBT heroes – whether they are in the public eye or are unsung champions campaigning for progress and equality.
Nominations will be whittled down to 101 and will be unveiled in The Independent on Sunday on the November 9.
Judges this year including actor Charlie Condou, listed number 13 in the World Pride Power list 2013; Labour MP Ben Bradshaw; Kim Watson, publisher of Diva magazine and Christine Burns, activist and writer.
The Pink List was initially established in 2000 and has become a widely embraced register of LGBT people who have worked hard to promote progress and equality in the UK. Previous honorees include Sir Ian McKellan, Alan Bennett, Sue Perkins and Nick Grimshaw. In celebration of its fifteenth year, it’s been given a new name, The Rainbow List.
Editor of The Independent on Sunday, Lisa Markwell, said: “Everybody loves a list, but the Rainbow List does much more than just entertain us. Since its inception in 2000 it has become a testament to the bravery, achievements and influence of individuals – it works to inspire and inform the rest of us. At The Independent on Sunday we take great pride in publishing the list, and it is an absolute pleasure to preside over it again. I can’t wait to hear this year’s stories, and take part in the lively judging session!”
You can join the conversation on Twitter at #RainbowList2014 and can nominate as many times as you like; nominations close at midnight October 19 and can be made via an online entry form at independent.co.uk/rainbowlist or by emailing rainbowlist@independent.co.uk with your suggestion and your reason why.
Posted 06 Oct 2014 11:31
By : Ben Kelly
It seems shockingly rare to find a positive representation of religion on stage, especially one that attempts to marry Christianity with a successful gay relationship. Geoffrey Nauffts’ 2009 play Next Fall goes some way to showing how a strict religious upbringing can shape a young gay man as he attempts to find his way in New York, juggling his older boyfriend with his commitment to God and his parents, whom he has yet to come out to. When a random accident leaves Luke on his deathbed, his family and boyfriend are brought together at his bedside, and their relationship is played in retrospect to reveal a tight web of secrets battling alongside Christian values.
It’s difficult to judge the message of the play – as an audience, you sympathise on the most basic level with Charlie Condou’s character, Adam, who is denied access to his long-term boyfriend so as not to out him while he lies unconscious. His character both prompts Luke to find the strength to come out while similarly facilitating his lies, meaning you’re never sure who is at fault and whose corner you’re meant to back.
Nauffts’ characters are on the whole convincing, and most successful when not played for laughs. Despite the heavy themes of the play, comic relief comes from self-confessed ‘fag-hag’ Holly and the heavily stereotyped southern mother, Arlene. Director Luke Sheppard effectively judges the tone throughout, allowing these characters to provide humour without letting them deteriorate into the sitcom stock characters which they have every potential to become. The character of Brandon is never successfully developed, and hangs off the fringe of the drama as if threatening to mean something, but never successfully doing so.
Condou is withdrawn and well-measured throughout, excelling in the more intimate moments with Martin Delaney’s realistically conflicted Luke. Mitchell Mullen plays Luke’s father, Butch, with an astute level of authority, like a Tennessee Williams patriarch – always knowing yet always denying what he can so clearly see in front of his eyes. It’s the father-son relationship that drives the drama, and rightfully it is this that provides the climax of the piece.
This is an intimate and effective production, realised with some outstanding lighting design by Howard Hudson and an economical set by David Woodhead. There is a definite sense of sensitivity and compassion within the production, aided by Sheppard’s ever careful and perfectly-focused direction. Accents throughout are not wholly successful and clumsily hinder the dialogue that at its best is sharp and insightful, but at its worse plays like bonus material from Will and Grace.
The frequent references to Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, a play in which struggling actor Luke once starred as the omniscient Stage Manager, aid the poignant discussions of death and the afterlife, but highlight Nauffts’ lack of conclusion and spiritual weight. Heavy religious discussions seem trite and token, and rather than expose how a same-sex relationship can work alongside a relationship with God, Nauffts shows them as being mutually exclusive with no opinion on how it’s possible for the two to be married without explosive effects.
Strong performances and stylish production values effectively paper over the cracks in this drama, making for a sentimental and emotional discussion that never boils over but fizzes with charm.
Rating: 4/5
Watch: Next Fall runs at the Southwark Playhouse until 25th October 2014.
It’s difficult to judge the message of the play – as an audience, you sympathise on the most basic level with Charlie Condou’s character, Adam, who is denied access to his long-term boyfriend so as not to out him while he lies unconscious. His character both prompts Luke to find the strength to come out while similarly facilitating his lies, meaning you’re never sure who is at fault and whose corner you’re meant to back.
Nauffts’ characters are on the whole convincing, and most successful when not played for laughs. Despite the heavy themes of the play, comic relief comes from self-confessed ‘fag-hag’ Holly and the heavily stereotyped southern mother, Arlene. Director Luke Sheppard effectively judges the tone throughout, allowing these characters to provide humour without letting them deteriorate into the sitcom stock characters which they have every potential to become. The character of Brandon is never successfully developed, and hangs off the fringe of the drama as if threatening to mean something, but never successfully doing so.
Condou is withdrawn and well-measured throughout, excelling in the more intimate moments with Martin Delaney’s realistically conflicted Luke. Mitchell Mullen plays Luke’s father, Butch, with an astute level of authority, like a Tennessee Williams patriarch – always knowing yet always denying what he can so clearly see in front of his eyes. It’s the father-son relationship that drives the drama, and rightfully it is this that provides the climax of the piece.
This is an intimate and effective production, realised with some outstanding lighting design by Howard Hudson and an economical set by David Woodhead. There is a definite sense of sensitivity and compassion within the production, aided by Sheppard’s ever careful and perfectly-focused direction. Accents throughout are not wholly successful and clumsily hinder the dialogue that at its best is sharp and insightful, but at its worse plays like bonus material from Will and Grace.
The frequent references to Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, a play in which struggling actor Luke once starred as the omniscient Stage Manager, aid the poignant discussions of death and the afterlife, but highlight Nauffts’ lack of conclusion and spiritual weight. Heavy religious discussions seem trite and token, and rather than expose how a same-sex relationship can work alongside a relationship with God, Nauffts shows them as being mutually exclusive with no opinion on how it’s possible for the two to be married without explosive effects.
Strong performances and stylish production values effectively paper over the cracks in this drama, making for a sentimental and emotional discussion that never boils over but fizzes with charm.
Rating: 4/5
Watch: Next Fall runs at the Southwark Playhouse until 25th October 2014.
