You might already be familiar with Holding The Man: its source material, a memoir by Timothy Conigrave, was adapted for film in 2015, and this production of Tommy Murray’s play is not to be confused with the one that played at the Brockley Jack – just five miles from this Vauxhall studio – a few months ago.
Whether audiences are familiar with the premise or not, the emotional impact remains incredibly strong. HIV and AIDS stories are frequently told – and rightly so – but its the authenticity of this particular tale that adds extra poignancy.
Conigrave, played here by Jamie Barnard, is our leading man: we meet him as a kid on the brink of adolescence and follow him through his school years into adulthood; his ongoing love for John (Ben Boskovic) prominent throughout his numerous endeavours and relocations.
But confined to monogamy from such a young age, his eyes soon start to wander – and when John rejects the notion of an open relationship, the pair end up separated; ultimately reconciling with heartbreaking consequences.
Murray’s script shines, and there’s good stuff from the seven-strong cast: Boskovic in particular is note-perfect, and there’s great support from multi-rolling Joshua Coley and Faye Wilson. David Shields’ design makes clever use of the wide playing area, complimented nicely by Jack Weir’s nifty lighting design.
Truthfully, the show takes at least a quarter of an hour to find its feet: opening scenes are too short and lacking in spark to be interrupted by overly long scene changes; but things soon pick up as the cast start to hit their stride – although they’re (generally) much more adept at the big emotional beats than they are with the comedy. It’s a sad story, of course, but the moments of humour add vital warmth and heart – and while much of it lands, some of Murray’s zingy punchlines fall flat in the delivery.
Still, when that sad ending rolls around, good grief does it pack a punch. The way the final scenes are executed by all involved is emotionally shattering, and rapturous applause at the final curtain is more than deserved.
Needless to say, this writer held his partner a little bit tighter last night.
Holding The Man plays at Above The Stag, London, until October 21.
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