23 July 2012
beautiful losers
In this expertly constructed theatre performance, we follow the enigmatic duo Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady on an adventure that’s rife with success and tragedy.
Beautiful Losers feels a bit like an introduction to all things passionate and reckless. The play, a comedy/drama set in America during the 40s and 50s, follows writer Jack Kerouac and con artist Neal Cassady on their Mexico-bound hallucinogenic journey through America. The pair get tangled up in all sorts of wild adventures as they drive, and when Kerouac’s book ‘On the Road’ is published and he is confronted with the shiny dangers of fame, we watch their demise. A no-holds-barred picture is crafted for the audience of the highs and lows of Kerouac and his inspired relationship with the manic and tempestuous Cassady.
The play first made an appearance at the Silo Theatre in 2002, in the form of a powerful 25 minute theatre vignette that was met with praise and seemingly never-ending applause. Now, almost ten years later, this impressive highly polished theatre production has returned. Written by Mike Hudson and directed by Margaret-Mary Hollins, the play is comprised of a two-man only cast. Paul Glover plays the part of Jack Kerouac, while Scott Wills plays Neal Cassady, the pair portraying the lives of two men who were responsible for much of the Beat Generation and the beginnings of the 1960s counterculture. On top of their main characters, the actors take on various other roles such as Kerouac’s mother and William Burroughs’ wife Joan, navigating the change between each character seamlessly.
Having recently completed a season at Erupt Festival in Taupo this May, Beautiful Losers is gracing Auckland with its presence at TAPAC, The Auckland Performing Arts Centre between the 23rd August – 8 September. A story of an indispensible friendship and the perils of fame, Beautiful Losers is a highly polished theatre performance that should not be missed.
To book tickets to see Beautiful Losers visit the TAPAC website here.
