Racing Demon

David Hare

November 2002

Directed by Peter Corrigan

"Why, who makes much of a miracle? I know of nothing else but miracles" – Walt Whitman

In conflict with government, torn with internal dissension on matters of doctrine and practice, the Church of England finds itself enjoying unwelcome publicity. David Hare's play, which details the struggle of four clergymen to make sense of their mission in South London, opened to universal acclaim.

"We are in the presence of a real debate, one between expediency and faith; and all the combatants have a case as well as a case to answer...quite simply drama at its athletic and magisterial best" – Sunday Times

The Author David Hare.

Among the handful of top British playwrights of our time, David Hare has not received the same popular recognition as have his contemporaries like Samuel Becket, Harold Pinter, Alan Ayckbourn or Tom Stoppard and yet it is David Hare's work that has presented the definitive picture of the age.

He was born in Sussex in 1947 into a family with no tradition in theatre but which was keen for him to better himself through education with the goal of becoming a chartered accountant. He has written little of his family and childhood except to record that Bexhill in the Fifties was "incredibly dull".

In 1970 his first play Slag was performed at the Hampstead Theatre Club and a year later he first worked at the National Theatre, beginning one of the longest relationships of any playwright with a contemporary theatre. Through the 1970s he also ran a touring theatre company working with a number of other writers and then in 1978 came Plenty, his most ambitious play to date which was almost universally panned by the London critics. His career was almost over and he left London for America.

In 1993 his trilogy about three institutions at the heart of Britain's society, Racing Demon, Murmuring Judges and The Absence of War, were presented together in repertory at the Olivier Theatre. Since 1983, nine of his best-known plays, including Plenty, The Secret Rapture, Skylight, The Judas Kiss, Amy's View and Via Dolorosa, have been presented on Broadway. Plenty and The Secret Rapture have also been filmed.

He has written several screenplays including Wetherby, Paris by Night and Strapless as well as several for television: Licking Hitler, Dreams of Leaving and Heading Home. Other work has included the opera libretto for The Knife. His adaptation of La Ronde by Schnitzler was retitled The Blue Room and received critical acclaim in the Donmar Warehouse production starring Nicole Kidman.

My Zinc Bed, David Hare's latest play, finished its run at the Royal Court just last month. It starred Tom Wilkinson, Steven Mackintosh and Julia Ormond and was directed by David Hare himself. He also appeared on stage himself in the West End and on Broadway in his own Via Dolorosa.

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The Play Racing Demon (Director's notes)

The Church that is married to the Spirit of the Age will be a widow in the next.

(Dean Inge 1860 - 1954)

One of the Bench Theatre's aims has been to mount productions of the best contemporary drama available. We have our own particular favourites in dramatists. Brian Friel has become one of our most performed playwrights. He writes terrific plays for actors and has much to say about the world we live in, which appeals to directors. I was surprised, therefore, to find that David Hare's plays had not been performed before. He has produced such a canon of good plays it was difficult to know where to start.

Racing Demon is the first in his trilogy looking at British institutions. As he states in his own book, Asking Around, his intention wasn't to theorise but to portray the lives of individuals trying to survive within them. He was amazed to find a group of inner-city priests, who had given up on theology and were spending long hours (and at salaries considerably below those of social workers or DHSS officials) pouring as much love and practical help as they could into "the vacuum created by society's indifference".

David Hare spent a considerable amount of time at the General Synod researching for his play, and records his thoughts and ideas in Asking Around. He was struck by the self-flagellation prevalent in the debates within the Church of England. Constantly the institution was being compared unfavourably with other religious groups. He captures these divisions within a team ministry. He portrays a liberal Team Rector (Lionel) beset by pressures from within, in particular, a young charismatic priest (Tony) and from above, his bishop (Southwark). Tony wants a "successful" church packed with people, but David Hare echoes the belief as to whether this can represent Christ, "who conquers through vulnerability and helplessness".

The clash with the Bishop of Southwark provided the motif for the production. There is a quote from a vicar in Asking Around: "The trouble with bishops is that after a while they think they're God. They move us around like chessmen." One of the best scenes takes place over a chessboard and our set is primarily black and white. The chess pieces of bishops and pawns became the poster design.

I thought David Hare was an excellent playwright before this production but our work in rehearsals has shown us just how good his dramatic technique and how acute his observation of British society. I have been privileged to work with some of the best non-professional actors and, coupled with the support of a fine technical crew, I hope you enjoy their labours this evening.

I will leave the last words in these notes to David Hare: "The one thing I have learnt and understood from five years' study is that British society needs not to abolish its institutions, but to refresh them. For, if not through institutions, how do we express the common good?"

When I give bread to the hungry, they call me a saint.

When I ask why the hungry are hungry, they call me a communist.

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The Bench Production

Cast

The Rev Lionel Espy	David Penrose
The Rt Rev Charlie Allen, Bishop of Southwark	John Batstone
Frances Parnell	Sam Emery
The Rev Tony Ferris	Nathan Chapman
Stella Marr	Tanya Duff
The Rev Donald 'Streaky' Bacon	Tim Taylor
The Rev Harry Henderson	Andy Rees
Heather Espy	Ingrid Corrigan
Ewan Gilmour	Matt Hammett
Tommy Adair	David Hill
The Rt Rev Gilbert Heffernan	Alan Welton
Waiter	Mick Sidwell
Chaplain	Mick Sidwell
Server	Liam Penny

Crew

Production Assistant	Mary Mitchell
Lighting Design	Damon Wakelin
Stage Manager	Liam Penny
Lighting Technician	Derek Callam
Sound Design and Technician	Sharman Callam
Costume	Glenda Penny

Program Notes

The Setting

The play takes place in South London in 1992, a time when the Church of England was in turmoil over the ordination of women and in trouble with the Tory government over a perceived lack of support.

Act One

Scene 1 The church
Scene 2 The garden of Southwark's palace
Scene 3 Frances' sitting room
Scene 4 Lionel's study
Scene 5 The church
Scene 6 Harry's living room
Scene 7 A street in South London
Scene 8 The Espys' sitting room
Scene 9 The church
Scene 10 A bar
Scene 11 Church House
Scene 12 The church

Act Two

Scene 1 The Savoy Hotel
Scene 2 The church
Scene 3 The Espys' sitting room
Scene 4 A darkened street
Scene 5 The church
Scene 6 In front of a billboard
Scene 7 The church
Scene 8 The crypt of Southwark Cathedral
Scene 9 Harry's living room
Scene 10 The Espys' sitting room
Scene 11 Lionel, Tony, Frances

Thanks

A production of this sort calls on the goodwill of a vast number of people who give freely of their time and sometimes even lend their clothes and possessions to enable it to happen.

On this occasion we would specially like to thank:

The Wardrobe Department of the Chichester Festival Theatre for their technical and practical help.
The Rev. Robin Coutts for supplying cassocks.
Neil Pugmire for enormous help behind the scenes.
John Plimmer and Japics Photographic for assistance at short notice.

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