It’s been twenty years since My Night with Reg was first produced at the Royal Court Theatre but the drama remains touching and funny in equal measure. The play explores the lives of a group of gay men in the mid-80s as they navigated the early years of the AIDS epidemic. The men meet in Guy’s flat to celebrate his house-warming but subsequent meetings all follow the wake of a friend. Over the course of the evening, it becomes clear that, the never seen Reg, has bedded all his friends save for Guy but that none of them know about the others.
My Night With Reg – Geoffrey Streatfeild (Daniel), Jonathan Broadbent (Guy) and Julian Ovenden (John)
The play is universal in tackling such topics as unrequited love, deception, betrayal or the regrets we hold at paths taken and does this in a very touching way. Kevin Elyot’s text is very funny but ultimately wrenching in addressing how these lives were affected by this terrible disease and the destructive nature of its community, continuing with their promiscuous behaviour even when surrounded by the death of so many of their friends.
Notwithstanding the above, this is a gay play in that it deals with a part of history, which affected mostly gay men with the consequences and worries of this deadly disease. But is it also a gay play in that this group of men is strictly different in their behaviour to non-homosexual people (Although I suspect that straight men might envy the sexual license granted in gay relationships). The disparity of the group assembled is one such difference. While some of the men have known each other since university others are working class men such as Bennie, a bus drivers, and Eric, a house painter. It seemed that being gay defined them more than other aspects of their lives and that while they were all very friendly to each other, their promiscuous behaviour led directly to cheating or betraying their friends and lovers.
Directed by Robert Hastie, the cast all give excellent performances. Julian Ovenden, as John, is charming and confident in that way handsome people can be but convincingly distraught to lose his secret lover. Jonathan Broadbent is fantastic as the shy and insecure Guy. The constant, comforting friend whom everyone likes but no one loves. Geoffrey Streatfeild, as Daniel, is the suave extrovert who would rather turn a blind eye than face the truth while never-failing to find the gay joke in any dialogue. Richard Cant, as Bernie, is your boring but loveable aunt Mavis. Matt Bardock is Bennie, the bus driver, who is all working class straightforwardness while, Eric, played by Lewis Reeves, the house painter cum barman, is unknowingly wise and innocent.
The 80s set and costumes by Peter McKintosh beautiful recreates Guy’s carefully manicured drawing-room with period turn table, vinyl collection, Bowie music, Marlboro cigarettes and lots of scotch. The rain, which never quite washes off the sins of the past, was a lovely touch.
Although this is a thoughtful and moving play that makes you laugh while reflecting on loneliness and loss, it never achieved the emotional impact such a subject would warrant nor sought to answer the why behind the deception and lies that abounded within this group of loveable men.
