It was either sheer genius or complete madness on the part of the person who decided that there was ever the possibility of a stage adaptation of Lanarkshire author and broadcaster Damian Barr’s deeply personal and at times harrowing 2013 memoir Maggie and Me.
Growing up gay in a Lanarkshire mining town during Margaret Thatcher’s Britain was no easy ride. In his memoir, Barr lays bare the pain of repeated abuse at the hands of his mother’s abusive boyfriends, constantly called a poof and used as a punchbag by his school mates, and trying to negotiate the minefield of being a young gay man at the height of AIDS hysteria, Section 28 in full force, in an era with no easy access to information. Hard work, ambition and a nose constantly in a book led him to the road out, a road that has ultimately led him to Brighton and a hugely successful career as a writer and broadcaster. In the intervening years, life certainly has been kinder.
But how far are we willing to go to exorcise the demons of the past? Doubtless the original pain of writing his book has been resurrected in bringing this story to the stage. Many aspects of the original work proving to be too difficult to revisit, have been omitted, the timeline re-worked and much added to build a vivid, explosive and at times surreal portrait of life as a gay youth in the 1980s. Even Maggie herself looms large. The theatrical version explores how the memoir came to be written and the people and the stories that led to Barr making some peace with his past. Barr and co-writer Ley remind us throughout that if you don’t go back you can’t go forward.
It is a work that is very much familiar to those that have read the book but equally original from its source. It is almost a new memoir in itself. However a niggling doubt remains as a reader of the memoir that there is a lot of fine detail left out and the magnitude of some of the incidents and significance of some of the characters is a little diminished in its dramatisation.
Kenneth MacLeod’s impressive set moves from the book-lined walls of Barr’s writing shed in Brighton, through the halls and library of Brannock High School, the serene sanctuary of Carfin Grotto to the great coal bings of North Lanarkshire. Doors to and from the past quite literally open and close throughout.
Apart from DB played by Gary Lamont and Wee DB Sam Angell, the rest of the cast double, treble, quadruple and more on roles. To the cast’s credit each is distinctly and vividly realised. Most impressive is Lamont who delivers a perfectly measured portrayal of Barr, there is gut-wrenching vulnerability but as much strength and humour.
Maggie and Me is a fitting companion piece to the memoir. It is bold, brave, emotive, original and ultimately filled with hope. Barr says in the script: “stories are mirrors” and in the programme notes: “I’m handing you a mirror – I hope you glimpse something of your story in it and that you look over your shoulder and see you are not alone. Everyone in this theatre has a story. And stories are for everyone.” Personally, I believe everyone deserves to see more stories like this in their theatres.
Reviewed at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow then touring to:
Eden Court Inverness, Perth Theatre, Lanternhouse Cumbernauld, Dundee Rep, Royal and Derngate Northampton and Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (sold out).
Further details: Maggie & Me | National Theatre of Scotland (nationaltheatrescotland.com)
Images: Mihaela Bodlovic