BENT
by Martin Sherman
Bent by Martin Sherman, was Michael Scott first professional production in (1981). The script had been passed from director to director, and management to management, but no one had the courage to produce it in Dublin where being "homosexual " was illegal the time. David Collins, the then Director of the Project Arts Centre gave Michael Scott the script, and asked him to direct it at Project.
First presented at the Royal Court London with Ian McKellen and Tom Bell, then on Broadway with Richard Gere and David Dukes.
It revolves around the persecution of gays in Nazi Germany, and takes place during and after the Night of the Long Knives. The title of the play refers to the slang word "bent" used in some European countries to refer to homosexuals.
When the play was first performed, there was only a trickle of historical research or even awareness about the Nazi persecution of homosexuals. In some regards, the play helped increase that historical research and education in the 1980s and 1990s.
Production Concept
The Setting was designed by Bronwen Cassin
When the audience entered, a huge sheet of transparent plastic hung over the stage , when the Nazi;s raided the flat it defended on them all.
Scene after scene in act 1 sections of the flats carpet were removed finally leave ing only the gravel
The Audience watched the production huddled on old platforms with old mattresses as if they were themselves prisoners in the camp watching it all take place. A row of "(Faulteil") old armchairs and various gathered furniture made up the front row .
Every prop, or costumes had been "found" to bring its previous life into the show. The Gravel made noise as the cast walked on it and was part of the sound scape.
Bronwen Cassin had scoured Dublin to find old bits of door, wall or planks to use in the setting. There was also a real tree, and a real fire for the forest (which was the only lighting for that scene) Brian Power the technical manager of Project built the setting for us.
The audience watched the second act in the gap through the barbed wire which had ben set up at the interval between them and the stage.
The CAST
Garret Keogh
Max
Vinnie McCabe
Horst
Malcom Douglas
Rudy
Robert Carlile
Uncle Freddy
Ciaran Hinds
Greta
Jack Walsh
Capo
Fintan McKeown
Captain
Ted Sheehy
Guard On The Train
Michael Ford
Wolf
Gabriel Smyth
Piano
Creatives
Michael Scott
Director
Bronwen Cassin
Stage Design
Rupert Murray
Lighting
Brian Power
Set Construction
Photographs
Michael Foley\Amelia Stein
Project Arts Centre
Producer
