Review By Susan Reynolds
“Private Wars”
Written by James Mc Lures
This performance Directed by Peter Kalos (The Melbourne Actor’s Lab) July 26th – August 4th 2018
Alex Theatre - St Kilda 1/135 Fitzroy Street St. Kilda
Originated : 1977 2 acts added in 1987
Play
9/10
Gately (Indigo Parer)
Silvio (Josh Massarotti)
Natwick (Joseph Baldwin)
Featuring Diana Puot as nurse
A peephole exists in time and we’re privy to relish in the madcap antics of three US Vietnam Army Vets; however the underlying story is tinged with the bitter taste of war and what it does to men.
The story involves three men recuperating in an Army Hospital in the mid 70’s. G.I.s Gately and Silvio are close mates. Natwick also a friend is often treated as an outsider and called an “asshole”. Natwick sends letters to his mother to the effect he wants Gately to be a close friend. Gately has swag and shows Natwick how to use it in an hilarious scene Gately goes sashaying across the stage (the audience is in hysterical laughter)…it’s not surprising Natwick likes Gately. Silvio is intense and his medical diagnosis is psychotic. His postulating is manic; he’s wearing lose pants then later a kilt he stressed for practical reasons. We all recognize it’s easy for him to flash the nurses by flipping his kilt! Each man is tackling his own “private war” with emotional and/or physical scars.
The G.I.’s aren’t in a hurry to leave even though they said “You can leave anytime you want” almost trying to convince themselves. They are in need of each other and often proclaim they love each other.
The Melbourne Actors Lab actors have encapsulated the raw energy of the characters; their distinctive mannerisms provided excellent entertainment.
*Gately: the cool amicable dude seemingly high on some medication has a mission to mend the radio that he believes will in turn fix the country.
*Silvio: the macho man with his self-proclaimed skills with attracting women. His bizarreness serves to conceal the injuries that stripped him of manhood.
*Natwick: Sensitive, gawky, yet knowledgeable
Often Natwick is ridiculed for his awkward mannerisms. He’d been raised with a privileged background Silvio particularly holds distain for. His knowledge of T.S. Eliot means nothing to these men.
One standout scene for me was Joseph Baldwin as Natwick. His writhing in emotional pain and talk of suicide as a result of being excluded from the night out is riveting. Joseph’s scene in his room as distressed Natwick indicated immense fragility, his plight hitting the audience with a jolt of stark reality.
*Background
Many Vietnam Vets returned with “Post Vietnam Syndrome” what we now call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The broader community at this time saw these people with a mental illness as dysfunctional. The Vietnam War was recognized as the “First Pharmacological War” as stated by Historian Lukasz in his book “Shooting Up” Speed, Steroids and painkillers were prescribed to the soldiers. The effect of coming off these drugs post war was also very difficult.
Returning from service also meant the lost comradery from the disbanding of a military unit where trust is all-important amongst soldiers.