The Code

Occasionally a play comes along where everything comes together to create a piece of theatre perfection. The code at Southwark Playhouse is one such occasion.

We are transported to 1950 Hollywood and the home of Billy Haines a huge star of the 30’s who is considering leaving all the glamour for the seclusion of an apple orchard in upstate New York swapping cocktails for cider. This possibility horrifies the legend and his close friend Tallulah Bankhead. John Partridge and Tracie Bennet are nothing short of superb in the roles. Their timing and acerbic wit play off each other as they moan about their lives and the destructive power of Tinseltown.

Into this bitch-fest arrives Henry Willson (Nick Blakeley) and his latest protégé Chad Manford (Solomon Davy). It is here that main plot unravels with such force and power that it literally has you on the edge of your seat. It is with these perfect and truthful performances, from all four actors, where we find the meaning of ‘the Code’. That in the struggle to either maintain or achieve fame and film stardom, it might come at the cost of being true to oneself. That to create the expected macho ideal could mean denying ones true sexuality. This is encompassed in the real reason Billy Haines gave up his film stardom for Interior design and what Chad Manford is being forced to give up for his fragile chance at stardom.

Scenes are interrupted by Tallulah Bankhead stepping out and directly addressing the audience. Giving the play its present-day relevance and holding a mirror to the hypocrisy of wasting a life. Never allowed to find that level of acceptance both personal and societal. Tracie Bennet inhabits Tallulah with such totality that it is awe inspiring every lurch and head gesture full of meaning.

Add to all this stunning direction by Christopher Renshaw. He builds such tension and moments of outright hilarity from Michael McKeever’s beautifully crafted script. Add to this a wonderfully evocative set and period precise costumes by Ethan Cheek together with sumptuous lighting from Jack Weir and it all guarantees an excellent night at the theatre.

To be entertaining and hard hitting in equal measure is an art, and this play paints a memorable experience that lives on in the memory. A must see at all costs.


Photo credit: Steve Gregson