There’s many a double act that split – through ill health, retirement or death – and there’s sometimes a sense of not knowing how the remaining partner feels.
And that’s a central theme of Andrew Kay’s latest play John and Thomas. But this 50-minute gem is so much more than that.
John (Allan Cardew) is long retired from the drag double act. His lifetime partner on and off stage Thomas (Dave Lynn), far from packing away his wigs and heels, wants John to re-join the act.
And so Kay sets up a tension between the two men that bubbles away but never quite boils over. This was a rehearsed reading, for a very special cause – of which more later – but that belittles the strong stage presence of the characters and the deft and sensitive direction by Carole Todd.
In a world full of f and c words, Kay’s humour is warm, joyful, bitchy and nostalgic. He has a skillful eye for the sad/funny nuances of a mature man fighting against the onslaught of time on body and mind.
To stir up the action, Kay injects a third character – the young Adam – an aspiring drag queen who wants to be mentored. Though he has approached Thomas, it’s John who takes up the challenge, and before we know it, Adams trousers are round his ankles – but no it’s not what you’re thinking.
Anyway, what are you thinking? This is a delightful show full of the interplay of double entendres, innuendo and wicked asides. Allan Cardew, in particular, has knowing glances, raised eyebrows and brilliant comic timing for his many punchlines.
Dave Lynn is more the straight man – straight? – whose good looks and good legs made him John’s match onstage. I would like to have seen the friction between the two leads to be made darker: I wanted some risk, some jeopardy – maybe involving young Adam.
But this is a play in development and now Andrew has seen it in the flesh on stage I’m guessing there’ll be changes made. Certainly Adam (played with touching naivety by Nathan Croft) needs to appear earlier and be given more to do. But that’s just my opinion.
The show was full of nostalgia for another reason. Allan’s part was originally written for community champion, actor drag star extraordinaire Jason Sutton (Miss Jason), who died before he could play it.
The proceeds from the show will fund an annual LGBTQ+ play competition, the Jason Sutton Prize, a fitting tribute to a great entertainer who brought much joy to Brighton and beyond.
John and Thomas was staged at Horatio’s, Palace Pier as part of PierFest.
First image by Julia Claxton
You must be logged in to post a comment.