Vagabond Of The Western World
Q.E.H. Theatre Bristol
17th & 18th July 2001
It was beyond good fortune that I should be able to attend the opening of Barry Bessant's play "Vagabond Of The Western World".
Since the sad passing of Philip Lynott, events celebrating his life and work have been few and far between.
Thin Lizzy fans have depended for the most part on the annual "Vibe For Philo" concerts in Dublin. Cold January days on the anniversary of Phil's death.
So it was exciting and intriguing to hear that a play based on his early songs was about to become a reality.
I was able to get time off work and travel down from Scotland to attend the first two nights of the play.
Arranged to meet fellow Lizzies, Caroline Wood and Dawn McCarrick en-route - Eric Bell Fan Club Secretaries, past and present - and we hyped each other up on the way.
We really did not know what to expect - we were just full of hope and anticipation of hearing some of those great songs again.
As Barry tells in the foreword or "Legend" to the play, it is set in no particular land or time -
"the story picks up from the ancient legends of the Mythological Cycle. The legend tells us of a Celtic Otherworld to the West. A place where happiness reigns. There is no age, sickness or death and a hundred years are as one day"
Vagabonds Of The Western World anyone ?
We took our seats in the front row and gripped them with anticipation.....
ACT ONE
The lights went down, dry ice billowed out, spotlights flicked across the theatre .....
JAILBREAK !
The last song we anticipated - black, balaclava'd figures rushing about the stage, shining torches in the faces of the audience while they searched high and low for a way out .......and sirens wailed !!!
The story unfolds with the arrival of the "Vagabond" in the village
(played with courage and conviction by an undernourished* and under- rehearsed understudy, John McColm).
By way of introduction he sang "The Friendly Ranger At Clontarf Castle".
The Vagabond further enthrals the villagers with a tall tale in the shape of "Hero and the Madman", where the urge to shout "Go higher ....." and "You're a liar" were only suppressed by the sparsity of the audience.
The lead female character "Sara" (Mini Bamford) was introduced with a haunting rendition of "Sarah" (1974 version) sung - without intending to be unkind - in a very pure but grown-up "Aled Jones" style by her betrothed, "Romeo" (Stephen Waterfield).
The Vagabond was to intervene and explain "where he was coming from" via "Mama Nature Said", much to the annoyance of Romeo and the intrigue of Sara.
The young farmer's daughter was finally swept off her feet with a lively "Little Darling" and the Late Afternoon Kiss was to result in a rather under explained illegitimate pregnancy.
Sara's best friend "Maggie" (Gemma Cooper) illustrated her own character's frustration at being overlooked (again ?) with a beautifully phrased and spine-tingling "New Day - Remembering Part II".
After a nice comedy cameo from Dave Stevens as the village drunk, the Vagabond earns his board and lodgings at the local Inn as "the entertainment" by performing a raucous version of "(The) Rocker" and while it was great to hear, I found it to be the least fitting song included.
We then met "The General" (Joel Rivere) and his wife, "Rachel" (Helen Underwood) - and what a pairing they were!
The glowering, threatening, overpowering, Lord of all he surveyed and his beautiful, haughty, wife.
He was "Gonna Creep Up On You" and no mistake.
She was just going to look down her snooty nose at you.
Having also caught the eye of Rachel, the Vagabond appears out of the shadows, in her Garden.
She accuses him of having a "Bad Reputation" - a real spin this, to have the song sung by a female character, but I think it worked; having previously heard Phantom Blue's version, I was perhaps less surprised than Dawny !
The Vagabond then tells her his version of his story via some "Whiskey In The Jar" ......
ACT TWO
Act Two begins with a set-piece, "Sitamoia", performed by the Vagabond and the villagers in a style reminiscent of the Haka performed by the All Blacks, lots of eye contact with the audience, which may have been (intentionally) threatening to your average audience member but not so bad when you are singing the words along with them !
The General appears and accuses his minions of being brainwashed and reminding them that their idyllic lifestyle is owed to those who went before them and laid down their lives ..... "Massacre" - a very powerful performance again, from Joel Rivere.
Sara's pregnancy is unveiled in a meeting with the Vagabond on the Village Green and is illustrated with "Little Girl In Bloom" - Philo's song for his Ma, when she was carrying him; a touching and poignant moment to hear it performed live - although the complicated lyrics were a challenge to the Vagabond.
Of course he agrees to marry her.
Sara has to break the news to Romeo that she cannot marry him as she is pregnant to another and worse still to the Vagabond. She pleads with him that if he loves her, he will let her be happy. The shame and heartbreak are too much for Romeo and he decides he must leave the village.
"A Song For While I'm Away" was his beautifully expressed paean to his lost love and to my mind it is long overdue recognition for one of Philo's finest and most personal songs.
Another surprise was "the buddy song", Marcus (Tom Owen) on his lonesome (or should that be "owneo" ?), belted out a passionate and rousing shout for his friend : "Romeo And The Lonely Girl".
The inclusion of this song was not entirely unexpected due to the characters' names but it proved to be an uplifting and moving piece, one of several highlights.
Meanwhile the Vagabond is still consorting with Rachel and she throws down the gauntlet to him to meet her at the forthcoming "Feast of Beltane" - on condition that Sara is not there.
The show's setpiece number "Randolph's Tango" has both Sara, persuaded to go by Maggie and Rachel preparing themselves for the Feast.
Watched over, from a theatrical distance, by the Vagabond, "Randolph".
The demure Sara puts on her "drop dead gorgeous" outfit -
"Dressed in white tonight, She looks pure as a dove ......"
Meanwhile Rachel plays the Black Queen ...... evening gloves and gown combined with that superior demeanour -
"The Senorita will be there waiting ......".
"..... Don't go, my Randoph, slow tango with me"
Causing major conflict with the loyalties of the audience - this boy decided he loved both of them equally !!!
"Randolph's Tango" is widely recognised as a minor classic, one of those that got away, a song that should have been a hit but wasn't. With an interpretation such as the one provided by the Black Rose Theatre Company it would have been sure-fire - in 1974 !
Randolph appears on schedule for his tryst with Rachel but unbeknown to him, Maggie has already spilled the beans to Rachel, who has to explain the peasant girl's intrusion to her husband. Rachel appeals to the General, convincing him that she herself is a raped and wronged victim of the Vagabond and in a superbly comic moment reveals where he can be found.
The Vagabond arrives at "The Feast of Beltane" where he is confronted by Sara.
Sara is confused by his rejection and when he tells her that the wedding can wait, she finds it difficult to comprehend - so the Vagabond leaves her in no doubt via a vicious "Don't Believe A Word".
Dry ice and criss-crossed spotlights over the raised section of the stage as the band played an extended intro to "Still In Love With You" ..............
This was "The Black Rose Theatre Company's" unwitting tribute to Philip Lynott .......... as that part of the stage remained empty.
Sara appears from stage left at ground level and proceeds to the centre of the floor to pour out her heartache through the lyrics of that most heartbreaking of ballads.
As the song reaches it's climax she is reduced to distraught cries to both her lost love and lost child, as she prepares to end it all.
Meanwhile, the Vagabond appears for his secret tryst with Rachel, only for her irate husband to turn up instead, with Marcus, the embittered friend of Romeo .....
"Brought Down" is the last song in the story, another set-piece, sung initially by the General, he is joined on-stage by all the principal characters and finally the rest of the cast.
An unusual and unexpected choice of song but again it works as each of the main characters survey the final scene and reflect; and the audience reflects; on how each of them has been to some degree "brought down".
On both occasions that I saw the play the audience, though small, gave the cast an enthusiastic round of applause and a few were moved to a standing ovation.
Of course the show wasn't over ......
As the drumbeat kicked in for an inspired "Do Anything You Want To Do", again that steady eye contact between the cast and audience as they dared us not to dance and clap along !
This was the moment for me where the performance transcended "play" and clearly became a "musical" and the potential for it to be done, bigger and better became apparent.
"Riverdance" was jokingly mentioned afterwards and for my money "Vagabond Of The Western World" has the basis of a much stronger story.
Neither was "Do Anything You Want To Do" the final song as it segued into "Vagabond Of The Western World", the title-song of the play; a powerful, bluesy performance from Mini Bamford, to sum up the story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed both performances, bedevilled with technical problems though they were, I think I could see the bigger picture.
But then I'm a Lizzie and my view is too close to the music to be totally objective.
The Band were terrific, both individually and collectively, they did not go for perfect, note for note "copies" of the songs and while some of their arrangements were unusual to my ears, they were never less than competent. Also, it has to be remembered, the quality of the musicians who laid down the original versions of these songs.
* I'm also a football fan, a regular attendee, I usually buy a programme but never read it until I get home, so I had not even glanced at my programme for the play.
I had briefly met "The Vagabond" the previous week when I called to collect my ticket - a fellow Scot !
He seemed familiar, but I put it down to his looking like someone I know.
Having watched the guy on-stage for nearly two hours AND speaking to him after the show, you could have blown me away, when in the Pub, he asked :
"Did you go to Kilmarnock College ? ........................It's John McColm !"
So he was someone I knew !
John and I spent two tears ( that should have read years ! ) back in the 80's, pretending to be interested in Chemistry.
We were good mates though.
The course ended and we promised to keep in touch - as you do.
Thirteen years had passed since we last spoke.
John looks fantastic, his appearance has changed dramatically, he used to be a bit ......larger......and of course we are both a bit older now.
The sheer coincidence of John playing the lead role in a play based on Philo's songs and only because he was required to in his role of understudy, on the two nights I was there, was just incredible !
Phil
Dawny & Barry Bessant
Caroline, Barry, Phil
Phil & ............. John McColm !