First performed at the Haymarket Theatre in London, on 12th
May 1960, this dramatic depiction of the life of T.E Lawrence, Lawrence of
Arabia, uses insight, perception and historical events in an attempt to convey
something of the reality of this enigmatic man. Of course, most readers will
have seen or at least heard of the slightly later David Lean film, Lawrence of Arabia, written by Robert
Bolt and Michael Wilson and employing Lawrence’s own writings. The two
productions are very different, of course.
Rattigan employs backstory, setting the play initially on
the RAF camp where Lawrence, in his other persona, Aircraftsman Ross, attempts
to escape his past. After some illustrations of the banality and pointlessness
of a service life I recognise from my own short days in the RAF, we are taken
into those now famous events that both made and destroyed the man we all know
as Lawrence of Arabia. Using dialogue and character to explain this complex
figure, Rattigan is able to get at least partially beneath the skin of his
protagonist. What he also manages to achieve is the exposure of the prejudices
of the times, the blinkered attitude of the military, which appears to continue
to this day, and the necessary duplicity that prevails amongst those senior
figures during war. But what he reveals, more than anything else, is the sheer,
brutal indifference of violent conflict. On the page, the horror and torment
are palpable: in performance this must have been so very difficult to watch.
Yet, I imagine that audiences were so captivated by the personal will of the
lead character that they were unable to escape the performance.
Rattigan has brought to life a man who has defied
explanation, a man both reviled and loved, hated and worshipped, honoured and
despised, during his lifetime. But he has also tried, with some success, to
explain the way in which exposure to different cultures and values, different
sacred creeds, colours so absolutely the outlook of those who live within their
influence.
This play is much more than a biography of a remarkable man;
it is a statement about hypocrisy, the expedience necessitated by war, greed, betrayal,
loyalty, friendship and love. A truly remarkable piece of theatre, even when
read only on the page. Were this to be recreated as a stage performance, I
would do all in my power to attend. If the power is so great in the text alone,
performance must render this work one of the most outstanding theatre
experiences. Thoroughly recommended. Read it.
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