Playing Rock Hudson @ The Old Fitz

Paul Dowson and Mark Taylor as Rock Hudson and his lover Marc Christian
Paul Dowson and Mark Taylor as Rock Hudson and his lover Marc Christian

When Thespis first stepped out of the ancient Greek chorus to represent someone other than himself, Athenian society was outraged. Actors are liars they cried. PLAYING ROCK HUDSON is about one such liar, Roy Scherer Jn, a gay man who created and lived the role of Rock Hudson. Rock in turn, plays straight, heroic characters on screen. In this production, who lies or lays when and where and with whom is the essence of the story and the thespian who plays Roy as Rock is also a wonderful liar, ably supported by other great liars.

Rock Hudson was a heartthrob. His shirtless bio pictures were teenage girl sweetmeat. He played rugged masculine characters like Bick in Giant but he also played the nice guy object of desire, Brad in Pillow Talk. As an active gay man, Rock (Paul Dowson) became involved in later life with Marc Christian (Mark Taylor). How and where they met and whether they were happy is up for debate. What is sure is that when Hudson died of AIDS in 1985, Christian sued his estate for reckless endangerment. He claimed that he was never made aware of Hudson’s diagnosis.

This well researched play is written and co-directed by Cameron Lukey with Jason Langley also directing and it is a powerful addition to the cannon of good Australian works. It focuses on the 1988 court case.

The audience are the jury as we see different versions of the same events and are constantly asked questions by the defence (Tyran Parke) and prosecution (Kim Knuckey). Lukey has said that he wavers about the truthfulness of Christian’s claims, that there are some undeniable facts but there are equally some gaping holes in the story he tells. Ultimately the play leaves us to decide and if my companions and I are a representative group, we all see different truths and lies.

The central performance is exactly what Thespis aspired to. Armisted Maupin said that Hudson’s 6’5” frame made him a great cuddler and his Hollywood friends described him as a generous and loving. At the end he was gaunt and ill. We see all of this clearly in Dowson’s Rock. He embodies the Rock of Gibraltar from which Rock took his name and he morphs easily and sometimes swiftly from the big robust man who frequents gay bathhouses to an ill shadow of himself. At times he looks so grey and drawn that one worries for him.

Taylor’s Christian is vacillating and hard to get a handle on, especially when he is sitting quietly watching the court arguments. Taylor is never less than present and his range of silent emotional response to the events complicates him even more.

This is a good ensemble, each playing their part as the past unfolds but also when they are sitting, observing, judging and peopling the courtroom and the star’s life.

As Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Victoria is initially more Martha than Liz but she is less strident and loud when the real grief of the monologue arises.

The view of the grief stricken and the rapaciousness of the hangers on is well balanced by the directors. And they have guided their cast with a sure hand in what could be very static scenes during which the men’s sex lives are dissected in detail. They have opted to move characters slowly and not always facing the audience.

When direct appeal to the audience jury is required a character faces us to make eye contact but their interactions can see them with their backs to each other, talking to the mute observers and facing upstage. These scenes are dynamic without being large. Aided by perfect floor lighting, their concept for the final moments of Rock’s life brings a tear as we experience the stillness of a shadow almost already in a grave.

This production is sharing the stage with another show and so the set and lighting are multi-use. But the stark white for a stark story works effectively and the use of projection lifts the set and provides ambiance. In the finale we see some video of the man himself and the sense of loss is strong.

For the world public, Rock Hudson gave HIV and AIDS a face and his death changed the funding of research into what was referred to as The Gay Plague. With rates of HIV rising in Gen Xers who no longer see it as a death sentence, he might also serve as a symbol in these times.

This play was originally produced at The Coopers Malthouse in Nov 2013 in association with the Victorian Aids Council for World Aids Day so the community know how Rock Hudson’s legacy involves more than just being a screen god. Young people who lie to themselves about the seriousness of living with AIDS need to learn his story but the lies and liars of PLAYING ROCK HUDSON at the Old Fitz offer a well-acted entrainment which will leave you wondering about the lies we all tell. This production plays  until February 15th.

For more about Playing Rock Hudson by Left Bauer Productions at The Old Fitz Theatre, visit http://www.oldfitztheatre.com/rock-hudson/