'The Motive and The Cue' At The National Theatre.

‘The Motive and the Cue’ at The National Theatre is a new play by Jack Thorne about one of the most commercially successful, longest running and notorious productions of one of the most popular works of theatre (and 'The Bard') to be performed in human history. Already dynamic sounding. But this particular production of 'Hamlet' is directed by the intimidatingly talented Sir John Gielgud and starring the simply intimidating Hollywood bad boy (and star crossed lover of Elizabeth Taylor) Richard Burton.

The source material is undoubtedly brilliant. ‘The play within a play’ is meshed beautifully together, providing punctuation or coda to scenes (largely utilising the fantastic ensemble cast, Luke Norris shines as an insecure ‘Guildenstern’) and working symbiotically with the sparing set design by Es Devlin and beautiful 'daylight and nightfall' mimicking lighting by Jon Clark. Sam Mendes is an extraordinary talent (and nice bloke) of which we’re all aware. But there is something really thrilling about being thrilled by someone we *expect* to deliver.

And so onto the cast. Because there is such a strong symbiosis here regarding the nature of the arts versus the artist being explored.

Mark Gatiss plays Gielgud with all the excellent mimicry and pathos I would’ve expected, but with a tenderness I perhaps would not. Johnny Flynn is a revelation as Burton. I’ll admit to being a ‘Flynn agnostic’ prior to this. A really competent actor who had never really blown me away in any performance I’ve seen so far. Consider me now a converted true believer. He has clearly extensively studied Burton and the voice work alone is absolutely outstanding. Neither lead ever slips into parody and with two such iconic and recognisable voices alone, it would be so easy and somewhat forgivable. Tuppence Middleton has an arguably harder task as 'Tinseltown Royalty' Liz Taylor and handles it competently, truthfully speaking. Old Hollywood fans like myself will love the interplay between the Burtons as an additional and chemistry laden treat.

I feel stupid for initially questioning this casting, because in intertextual terms it is a complete gift; one very notable actor in middle age, arguably in depressingly familiar descendance of career trajectory and one younger actor on a rapid and frighteningly unpredictable upward trajectory clash in time and space. Gatiss and Flynn are not living these precise experiences of course, but they are both well placed to understand and successfully navigate this perilous terrain. The play most obviously explores the notion of vulnerability. In a career in the arts, no matter the status or achievement, the artist must always be *and* wrestle with vulnerability. This perilous paradox can create ruin or magic, sometimes simultaneously and the precise alchemy of the process is something all artists try to decipher.

The closing scenes of the piece touched me deeply and will be added to my canon of ‘most memorable theatrical moments’. For this ‘Hamlet’ changed the lives and set the scene for both its leads and will do the same I suspect for all involved in this excellent production.