In a southeast London housing project, 15-year-old Jamie and his bartender mother, Sandra, live next to expelled high-schooler Leah. Across the courtyard lives his friend, Ste, a high-school athlete.
Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing is a tender love story between these two teenage boys set against a backdrop of conflict. Ste, played by Joseph Panwitz, lives with his abusive father and older brother. While a good soccer player, he cannot please his alcoholic father. Jamie (Matt Barrs), skips school constantly and is afraid of his school mates and his inability to succeed at soccer. His mother, Sandra (Jillian Frost), is a bartender in search of the better life of running her own pub. She has a new relationship with Tony (John DeCarlo), an artist. Sandra gives refuge to Ste, who ends up sleeping in Jamie's bed with him. It is here they discover their mutual attraction. While Jamie readily admits to his proclivities, Ste, ever the athlete, fights his desires. Add to this mix the rebellious Leah, and the sparks fly. She is a cultural misfit, not accepted by her peers or adults. She is hurting but only understands striking out as a way of survival.
Matt Barrs and Joseph Panwitz are a delight to watch. The growth of their relationship is tender and loving, a true loving romance, by far one of the best loves stories to come across the stage in a long time. Barrs and Panwitz appear innocent and shy and present their characters' emotions with great sensitivity. The explosive Rachael Van Wormer's Leah is the perfect counterpoint. Van Wormer presents pure rebellion, yet Leah's pain comes through.
Jillian Frost's Sandra is complex. Sandra is a protective mother, a motivating mother. When she sees and hears Ste's home life, she is compassionate and protective of him. She is also a woman driven to succeed in her business and to enjoy her sexuality. In fact at one point, she comments about the joys of "seventy minus one." Through much of the play she is experiencing the pleasures of her relationship with Tony, who feeds Sandra's almost ravenous appetite. John DeCarlo exudes the charm necessary to keep Tony as a part of Sandra's life.
David Weiner's set consists of three rather dull, red-brick residences in this lower class neighborhood. It is depressingly muted. Jeff Fightmaster's lighting is simple and direct, matching the feel of the set. Costumer Shulamit Nelson has dressed the boys in school togs for the most part. Nelson's garbing of Van Wormer is absolutely perfect for her character. As staged by fight coordinator Jeff Miller, the fight sequence looks downright painful and convincing.
Rosina Reynolds' direction is flawless, creating a perfect balance between the characters and their individual stories. Diversionary Theater has, as we have come to expect, produced an excellent play with an extremely talented cast. Diversionary's mission is to produce plays with lesbian, gay bisexual, and transgender themes, portraying characters in their complexity and diversity. Beautiful Thing fulfills their mission with one of the best love stories to come along in a very long time.
