Anyone old enough to remember the 70s may be aware of a movie called ‘Deep Throat’. Released in 1972, with a mere budget of just $25,000, the movie went on to gross millions of dollars upon its release. Porno Chic tells the story of Harry Reems (Richard Allen); the star of the movie.
The production is told in an autobiographical style; Reems narrates part of the story and then allows for the drama to play out. The play is set in New York in the 1970s. Reems is a struggling actor doing eight theatre shows a week for poor pay. He soon persuaded to star in a stag film. From this he meets Gerry Damiano (Stuart Reeve), who promises to make him a huge star by appearing in ‘Deep Throat’ - an erotic pornographic movie. The movie makes headlines across the US, and catapults Reems to immediate celebrity. The play then explores how he struggles to cope with his overnight fame, and how his relationships suffer by starring in a porn movie.
Considering this is a fringe performance, the production level was quite high. There was a screen placed above the stage that short clips were played on to give the audience a sense of where we were and what was happening. Also, the inclusion of popular songs from the 1970s really cemented the fact the play was set 40-odd years ago.
Given the title ‘Porno Chic’ I wasn’t surprised that the performance did contain some nudity. However, this was tastefully done and didn’t take away from the main focus of the plot; exploring the lives of the characters.
The play explores the theme that fame can’t buy you happiness; Reems becomes depressed about the failure in his relationships. We all see Linda Lovelace (Celine Constantinides) become a victim of domestic violence.
When it comes to recreating the infamous scene from ‘Deep Throat’, it is extremely well done. Vertigo do make a mockery of the scene but I think that’s what was needed, and added to the humour of the show. The scene from the actual movie is replayed at the end of the show and it’s not a million miles away from what Vertigo recreated.
Watching Reems struggle with his alcohol and drug problems was the highlight for me and really showcased Allen’s talents as an actor. You could tell he was 100% dedicated to the role and made some great choices.
Although I have pointed out a lot of the more dramatic moments from this performance, Porno Chic is largely a comedy. The sex and courtroom scenes were in particular some of the more humorous moments.
The only slight criticism I have is that the performance was a bit on the lengthy side. Considering the Kings Arms lack of air conditioning, I could see some audience members were starting to feel uncomfortable as the show drew on.
Porno Chic is not for the faint hearted. It is a very fine example of taking a taboo subject and making it into a compelling piece of theatre. Directors and writers; Craig Hepworth and Adele Stanhope have once again produced a fantastic show.
Reviewer: Francis McKevitt
Reviewed: 7th July 2016
North West End Rating: ★★★★
