The classic book ‘The Line of Beauty’ by Gay author Alan Hollingshurst has finally been turned into a play – but you can’t buy tickets for it because it is sold out.
Such is the popularity of the book that tickets for its short 5-week run at The Almeida Theatre sold out before it opened. It tells the story of middle class young gay man Nick Guest (Jasper Talbot) in 1983 London who moves, after college, into the house, and into the upper echelons of society, of his best friend Toby (a very pumped up Leo Suter). Toby’s father is an MP and is very well connected, while Nick appears to have always had the hots for hunky (and straight) Toby. Nick meets and starts dating Leo (Alistair Nwachukwu), all the while being a shoulder to lean on for Toby’s very vulnerable sister Cat (Ellie Bamber). But then Nick falls for cocaine user and rich party boy Wani (Arty Froushan) who whisks him to France, and then back to London to live a party (and promiscuous) lifestyle. And as it’s the mid 1980’s lurking around is a deadly virus that is affecting and killing off gay men. Will Nick and his gay circle of friends survive this?
It’s worth noting that the book, which was initially published in 2004, is a bit dated but worth a read (as is ‘The Swimming Pool Diaries’ by Hollinghurst which is a thinly veiled account of the now closed Central YMCA in London). This well acted production (Talbot is great as the innocent yet very curious Nick while Charles Edwards is very good as MP Gerald Fedden) is cleverly adapted for the stage by actor and playwright Jack Holden. However there are some scenes that don’t ring true (when Nick is told in a conversation that his ex-lover has passed away we don’t feel the emotion from both actors). As with some Almeida productions (‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ is the most recent with Paul Mescal) ‘The Line of Beauty’ will more than likely make its way to the West End, and if this happens it’s worth getting tickets.
For more information on this show, please go to: almeida.co.uk/whats-on/the-line-of-beauty/
Photo by Johan Persson