I’ve never been sure why the term ‘well-made play’ is an implicitly derogatory (also patronising?) negative dismissal of a work that sees the importance of dramatic structure. I suppose basically it is a somewhat lazy term for a more traditional, non-radical piece of theatre.
I do not know if the above work would fall into that category but regardless of whatever is the term that is applied to it, this was a wonderfully powerful performance of a passionate and perceptive piece of theatre with performances, particularly by Helen McCrory as Hester, that were of the highest calibre.
The central situation was reputedly based on a situation in the closeted Rattigan’s life where his lover left him for a younger man who treated him (the lover) badly, resulting in the suicide of said lover. Rattigan allegedly based the role of Sir William Collyer, the husband whom Hester abandoned for the apparently alluring Freddie, on his own situation in this triangle. However it is a LOT more than a therapeutic exercise as it gives a vivid and movingly powerful depiction of love in its various forms - obsessive (Hester), selfish (Freddie) and formally chilly where passion is not ‘done’ (Sir William). Incidentally, I am fully aware that there is more to the play’s views of love and its many manifestations than is indicated by the previous short phrases.
The play also gives a marvellous picture of the UK at a particular time (postwar) with many references only being surely understood by Brits - when looking for Sir William’s address in a telephone directory (!) two locations came up. ‘Two, Chiswick and Eaton Square. It must be the second one’! And many details e.g. a shilling in the gas meter, a ration card, golf at Sunningdale as well as more serious points - ‘attempted suicide is a crime’ - and the Doctor’s ‘crime’ was almost certainly homosexuality. But all of these are significant dramatically not aspects that need to be updated
As with a ‘well-made play’ the structure is excellent. First-rate use of exits and entrances with knocks on doors and closings being very dramatically significant - the simplest devices are often the most effective aren’t they… I also loved the (sparing) use of the song ‘Only got eyes for you’ which played the same sort of role in the play as did the Varsouviana Polka in ‘Streetcar’. Would be interesting to do a study of the two characters Hester and Blanche. I suspect they may be more similar than one might expect…
The performances were superb. As indicated Helen McCrory was stunning in the main rile - she caught amazingly Hester’s passion and desperation (two sides of the same coin?) her first scene with her ex-husband was a masterclass, both in terms of writing and performance, of how to ‘play’ a scene with masterful forward dramatic thrust in the dialogue - characteristic of the whole play in fact. It struck me that it was a very ‘lean’ work. There was no flabby padding in the dialogue and virtually every sentence had a signifcant dramatic role to play.
Lover Freddie was not made a caricature - he’s not written as that but I can see how he could be played in that way. One had a degree of sympathy for him but when it came down to it, everything was about him, whereas with Hester it was all about him (ironically - he was not really deserving of that). And there bwas also a (fatal) element of self-absorption in her passion for him.
A wonderful experience then which I am VERY glad to have (fully) caught.