The Con-Con production of ‘The Pride’ is definitely not for the faint of heart
In the opening scene of Alexi Kaye Campbell’s The Pride, Philip pours Oliver a drink. The stage “scotch” looks cloudy and weak. Some might say the same about the latest offering now on stage at Convergence-Continuum but they could be wrong. While the show switches back and forth between two time periods (1958 and 2008) there are small nuances in the dialogue and costumes that aid the attentive viewer in keeping the two worlds straight. While some might think that the show is overly long (two hours) the slow even pace is necessary to draw out the story.
It is London, 1958 and children’s book illustrator Sylvia (Amy Bistok) introduces her unhappy Realtor husband, Philip (Brian Westerley) to her gay writing partner Oliver (David Munnell). Philip hates his forced inherited life of showing empty houses and flats and dreams of travel, especially to Africa. He is also a closet gay.
The two men find an attraction to each other and their short lived affair begins. The problem lies in the times. England 1958 holds that homosexuality is against the law and punishable by prison with hard labor, chemical castration or conversion therapy. Gay men must use extreme care in forming liaisons lest they be outed and punished to the extreme.
Switch to London, 2008 and it is an altogether different story. Oliver is a freelance writer of note whose lover, Philip, has left him due to his partner’s propensity to perform oral sex on total strangers. Sylvia is Oliver’s straight friend and muse who is on the cusp of becoming engaged to Mario.
Even though gay is now “the new thing” very little has changed as far as emotional relationships. Philip returns back to the flat to grab the last of his possessions only to find Oliver engaging in kinky role-playing with a man (Beau Reinker) dressed as a Nazi. The time periods then evenly alternate as they take the audience to the conclusion of each scenario.
David Munnell does a fine job as Oliver playing the 1958 “scared gay” to a T while switching in an instant to the flamboyant out man of 2008. Brian Westerley is also very capable as Philip who wears his 1958 guilt on his sleeve (later resorting to drastic measures) and fast forwarding to 2008 in the role of a spurned lover.. The glue that holds this show together is Amy Bistok as Philip’s wife (1958) and Oliver’s straight friend (2008). She is the non-judgmental shred of common sense needed to steer these men to their awaiting destinies as in 1958 as the patient wife waiting for her husbands return to monogamy and 2008 when she reunites the two former lovers during a Pride celebration (hence the title of the play). Beau Reinker plays in order, a fantasy Nazi, Peter a “hip” magazine publisher hoping to cash in on “the gay craze” and the doctor guiding Philip through his therapy sessions. He does admirably in each role.
This is explicit hard hitting theater that unashamedly covers a myriad of themes including the treatment of gays in the past, closet gays married to women, love vs sex, fetishes, conversion therapy, modern promiscuity, self loathing, homosexual rape and the ever popular debate of being born or being turned gay.
This is a show that requires rapt attention to all the nuances of speech as well as a very liberal and accepting attitude about homosexuality. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is an enthralling piece of theater for those with the courage to view it. See it if you feel a bit adventurous.
The Convergence-Continuum production of The Pride will be on stage at the Liminis Theater located at 2438 Scranton Road in the historic Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio through April 20, 2019. Tickets may be purchased online by going to www.convergence-continuum.org or by calling (216) 687-0074.