Hugo Pilcher makes his debut acting performance in the role of the silent film actor William “Billy” Haines in The Tailor-Made Man based on a true story. Haines refused to hide his long-term relationship with Jimmy Shields (Gwithian Evans) and as a result, temporarily lost everything. An impressive debut by Pilcher who has a promising career ahead.

Dereck Walker takes on the intimidating role as Louis B Mayer, part of the famous MGM Hollywood film studios. Mayer was rumoured to have had an ulterior motives with young Starlets. However, as the married family man he could “lord” his hypocritical position over Haines, as homosexuality was illegal and bad for business yet adultery was acceptable! Walker’s presence on stage commands the audience’s full attention and leaves no holds barred when he confronts Haines later on in the play.

The casting of The Tailor-Made Man is superb. Each character offers a believable portrayal of the people involved in the story at the time. Shelley Rivers looks stunning in her role as Miss Marion Davies, a long-standing friend to Haines and Shields. Her white figure-hugging dress and feather scarf oozed Hollywood star quality. Peter Rae and Olivia Ruggiero took on the other roles with perfection.

Claudio Macor captures the homophobic attitudes that ruled the Hollywood film studios during the early Nineteenth century. The stark warning of the legacy left by Haines’s removal from the film industry was used for many years afterwards to warn off male actors from openly disclosing that they were gay and letting the production companies “down” and banished his films to a sealed Vault never to be seen again.

Macor doesn’t use these words from a “peddle stool” position, they are crafted to jolt the audience into feeling the anguish and hurt experienced by the actors affected at the time. I still find it hard to understand why as a society homophobic attitudes ever existed, growing up in the eighties I always believed in equality and continue to do so. The Tailor-Made Man is an important play highlighting what took place and remembering the difficult and dangerous world gay men had to navigate through.

Lambco Productions have bought an important piece of Hollywood history to the stage. Haines is a fascinating person to do some further reading about. A play that I would watch again and highly recommend.

For more details on The Tailor-Made Man and future productions at The Stage Door Theatre please use the link below.

Four Stars

Photo by Peter Davies.

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