THE GHOST OF THE FATHER

"I am thy father's spirit,
Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, ..." - King Hamlet

The ghost of King Hamlet pervades Shakespeare's legendary play, acting as phantom counsel and pricking conscience to his living son, Prince Hamlet, who desires to avenge his dead father's death.

In Jack Thorne's play 'The Motive And The Cue' (2023), Sir John Gielgud (Mark Gatiss) is to play the Ghost of King Hamlet and will become temporarily a sort of surrogate father (of the theatre) to actor, Richard Burton (Johnny Flynn). Gielgud's reticence in stepping into the latter, less familiar role with the younger man, may have had something to do with both his closeted homosexuality and the lack of children in his own life. In 1927 Burton had already lost his mother at the age of two, and decades later, in 1959, his biological father, Richard Jenkins. It was schoolmaster and theatre director Philip Burton who became the legal ward of Richard in the early 1940s and who was instrumental in changing the direction of the young boy's life towards that of the stage.

'Motive' is set in 1964 and Gielgud is directing the Welsh firebrand from Port Talbot who is attempting to form and shape the latest incarnation of the iconic role of Hamlet by 'Uncle Will' on Broadway. Sir John had up until then, been the most famous Hamlet of his age but is irked by the fact that his rival Laurence Olivier was the one who managed to immortalise the Danish Prince on the silver screen. The screen versus the stage dichotomy is a dilemma that Burton recognises well as it appears he seeks vindication from the theatre after his affairs with the movies. Gielgud is in a way the 'priest' who can grant Burton his blessing/benediction with their new 'Hamlet' production. Director of 'Motive', Sam Mendes (who I've always believed is far better as a director of theatre than film) perhaps relates to that very same dilemma also.

Other various conflicts are playing out concurrently during this reportedly 'troubled' production, including Gielgud's own uncertainty as to his own capabilities as a director as well as Burton's own insecurities about measuring up to the greats of the past including Laurence Olivier and, of course, Sir John. It is also apparent that where the young actor is freely able to express his alpha passion and sexuality without fear of judgement, Gielgud has to deflect his repressed passion through the use of deflection, self deprecation and wit. If Burton appears more like an insatiable horny bull in relation to sex, love and art then Sir John seems more church mouse, adding comic asides and poignant quips from the wings rather than centre stage. Thorne's play might be seen as a 'Taming Of The New' and yet Gielgud seems more simply jealous of the younger man's confidence in commanding the stage that was once his to own than of the Welshman's own unique acting approach to the role itself - the ghost of productions past threatened by the very real and visceral living present. In the early 50's Gielgud had suffered a nervous breakdown as a consequence of being arrested back in London for what was considered sexual impropriety at that time. He assumed that his career was finished but tentatively overcame a terrible period of nerves and managed to resume both his acting and directing career.

If Flynn's embodiment of Burton's earthy presence is impressive enough, Gatiss's performance as Gielgud is a supernatural perfection, his imitation of the great thespian a sublime reanimation where every line uttered by him is as delectable as a luxury chocolate. The pathos of the actor's oratory confidence with the more self deprecating aspects of his character are brought beautifully to light even when in the shadows of an office or hotel room. Both his exchanges between Burton and Elizabeth Taylor (Tuppence Middleton) are revealing in different ways. As I saw it (with my Freudian glasses on) Elizabeth Taylor symbolically replaces Burton's dead mother, as Gielgud (at least for the duration of the rehearsal period in New York) replaces his dead father. This also makes sense artistically as Burton's career is divided between the theatre (Gielgud) and cinema (Taylor). Burton is like a child caught in the middle throughout and when he finally concedes he needs help with the famous 'To Be Or Not To Be' monologue, Gielgud seizes upon the moment to direct the Welshman with full sympathy and compassion, finally breaking the deadlock between them.

Gielgud : Dear boy, have you considered, could it be - that your Hamlet does not like his father?

Burton : This whole play is about a man who loves his father -

Gielgud : He was a cuckold. He was a weak man. You loved him, but he never gave you what you truly wanted in a king. Maybe he was an adequate father, maybe he loved you, but he's not the king you'd be. You wanted more, better, and now you must risk everything to fight for him?

Burton starts to get excited.

There is something quietly and powerfully emotional about the way the two men finally find a common bond together in the rehearsal room, not in agreeing on what went before (Gielgud's own approach to performance) but in what can be created anew. In this way 'The Motive' becomes almost a meta ode to the theatre where the director Sam Mendes adds his own experience and genius as a director to Thorne's brilliant text as they build on top of what their subjects Gielgud and Burton are creating before our very eyes, leading toward a deeply satisfying Handelian climax.

Gielgud : I do like first nights. The excitement of what's ahead.

Burton : I'm mostly terrified.

Gielgud : Envious. I'm envious. Terrible quality in a director I suspect.

Burton : You'd still want to do it again?

Gielgud : With every inch of my burning soul. But time is against me. It is your time now.

Beat. Burton smiles.

In the end it seems that any remaining ghosts that Burton and Gielgud find lurking in the wings are finally exorcised for good on the stage. The power of great art and theatre is conjured like great sorcery and provides more illumination at its very best than all of Horatio's philosophy.

"Motive" reminds us of this eternal truth in sublime fashion.