REVIEW: Jarman

By Gary Murray

Derek Jarman was a film maker, artist and gay rights activist who died in 1994.

He lived life to the full. And what a life it was.

If you recall Derek Jarman, you might know him for his films; Sebastiane, Jubilee, Caravaggio, The Last Of England.

Or you might remember him for his cottage on the beach at Dungeness where he famously lived out his final years, creating a garden in the shingle.

Or for his pioneering work in pop music, directing a tour for Pet Shop Boys.

But you don’t need to know his work at all. He was brought to life last night in an extraordinary play by Mark Farrelly at the Grove Theatre, Eastbourne.

You might previously have seen Farrelly’s plays about the likes of Frankie Howerd, Patrick Hamilton and Quentin Crisp at the Grove. This one is possibly the best yet.

"The very essence of him was brought to life on stage"

This is no mere impersonation: Mark Farrelly completely inhabits the man. We feel as though we are having an evening in his presence.

This is not a chronological trundle through Jarman’s life and work, but we learn things. I hadn’t realised that he worked with Ken Russell, designing The Devils and other films.

Jarman railed against the ordinary, the mediocre. Don’t settle for the mundane. Be truly alive, always. Be astonishing, was his approach.

It’s minimally but effectively staged with a sheet, a chair, a torch.

There’s even audience involvement with a couple of people brought up on stage. I’m not sure that this adds a great deal. In fact in lesser hands it could be jarring, but Farrelly pulls it off without breaking character.

In 1986 Jarman was diagnosed with HIV, something he was determined to be open and honest about. His last years were lived in much pain but with his companion Keith Collins. They were not lovers, but the relationship provided much comfort to Jarman.

It’s this part of the play which is most powerful. If it’s a little protracted, nevertheless it is a portrait of visceral pain, physical and emotional.

Derek Jarman died of an Aids-related illness in 1994.

The very essence of him was brought to life on stage last night by Mark Farrelly.  If you get the chance to see any of his repertoire of performances, I urge you to go.

As a quote from his film Jubilee (1978) puts it: “As long as the music’s loud enough, we won’t hear the world falling apart.”

:: Gary Murray was a professional actor for 14 years in theatre, radio, TV and even a couple of operas. After many years on the tech side of the ticketing industry, he now works at Tech Resort and is a volunteer reviewer for Eastbourne Reporter