Lord Arthur’s Bed at The King’s Head

Walking in on a relatively bare stage with a chair and a double bed containing two young men, the audience stirred slightly uncomfortably as we were informed that tonight, ‘we are their webcam’.

In the intimate venue of Islington’s King’s Head theatre pub, and with the warning of full-frontal male nudity echoing loudly in our minds, it was clear that we were welcome voyeurs in this couple’s bedroom.

Jim (Ruaraidh Murray) and Don (Spencer Charles Noll) were a freshly civil partnered couple who had rather conveniently moved into a house whose own scandalous past was determined to return to the surface. After a night of over passionate love making (as demonstrated), the two lovers fell through the floorboards where, even more conveniently, they found the calling card of a ‘Stella, Lady Clinton’.

After committing himself to researching this mysterious discovery, Don unearthed the tale of Edward ‘Stella’ Boulton and Frederick ‘Fanny’ Park, two Victorian cross-dressers and their illustrious relationship with Lord Arthur Clinton, the former owner of the now defunct bed.

Apparently she was really a he. He thought she was a she but then after discovering the truth under her petticoat realised he didn’t mind he was actually a he…sound confusing?

Sadly it is. And while Dom and Jim tried their darndest to re-enact the facts of this real-life pre-Oscar Wilde scandal with a spectacularly erratic array of accents, the main interest lied in the events that were occurring in the present day bedroom.

It’s these scenes that allowed Noll and Murray’s chemistry to come to the fore and become the saving grace of the play. While schizophrenic accents may come between any lasting credibility of the historical aspects of the story, Noll’s expert comic timing as cross-dressing ‘Stella’  tied with Murray’s thoughtful delivery of the play’s poignant monologues about the difficulties of accepting his sexuality and helped regain the attention that may have been lost along the way.

Now, perhaps I mainly speak for myself, but from my past theatre-going experience, one sure-fire way of keeping the audience’s attention is to include a nice helping of aforementioned nudity. Surprisingly, it’s not every day I spend my Thursday evenings in a room with two naked men. Not surprisingly, when said nakedness is shared with a room full of others, it often comes with a certain amount of awkwardness – particularly when it accompanies the more serious moments in the performance. Thankfully, the bluer scenes of Martin Lewton’s script are delivered with the necessary comedy and smut reminiscent of after-dark Victorian parlour tales, allowing the play to redeem itself.

With such a short running time it was difficult to establish any real connection with the characters, but still the play made for an entertaining romp exploring the reoccurring issues facing gay couples throughout the ages, delivering well-timed laughs and pensive silences. With full frontal nudity. Twice.

Lord Arthur’s Bed runs until April 10 at:

The King’s Head
115 Upper Street
Islington
N1 1QN

Tel: 020 7226 8561

Image courtesy of Gordon Rainsford