Holdingtheman,anAustraliangaybible

IdidntmakeittotheworldpremiereofHoldingtheman(2015)lastSundayinSydneyStateTheater.Butmanyfriendswentandspokehighlyof.Ididaquickcheckonlineandfoundouthowinfluentialthebookhasbeen,basicallythegaybibleforAustralianLGBTgroups.Publishedin1994,thisauto-biographyofTimothyConigravehasshockedthewholeAustraliabyitspureandrealnarrationonhomosexualloveandalsothedescriptionperiodin1980swhenHIVstrokeAustralia.Andtheplay,adaptedbyTommyMurphyin2005,wasalsoalegendinAustraliantheatrehistory,totallycrashofticketboxwhereverittoured.NotonlyhastheplaybeenoninalmosteverymajorcitiesinAustraliaandadaptedbymultipletheatercompaniessuchasBelvoirandAustraliatheatercompany,italsohasmadetoLondonandLAforworldtour.Thelegendcontinuesforalmosttenyearsandfinallyin2014,directordecidedtoadaptthisstorytobigscreen.WhileTommyMurphygotrehiredasscreenplaywriterandtwohotpopularAustralianactorsaslead,thismoviehasdefinitelybecomethemostexpectedmovieoftheyear.Audiencesmaygetabitworriedduetothehypersuccessfulplayasacomparison.Asastoryaboutintimacyanddelicateemotions,itcouldbemuchmoreeasilydemonstratedonasinglestagewithtouchingandsmartdialogues.Fancycinematographicworkorextramise-enscenecouldserveasminorimportanceinstory-tellingitself.Butstill,therearedefinitelymorespacetodevelopthisromanceinfilm.Itistheautobiographyatfirstplacethatattractedmost,withtherealstoryofTimothyandhis15-yearpartnersJohnholdinghandtogetherthroughbitter-sweetfirstlove,sex,fights,diseaseandfinallydeath.Imsuchkindofpersonwhojustcannotholdbackmycuriosityonsuchliteraryworks.Aftersearchingonlinewithoutfindingnewbookstosellorebooktodownload,IwentdowntotheunilibraryandborrowedtheonlycopyofMurphysplay.WhileunfortunatelytherewasstillnoTimothyswork,itsworthreadingtheplayfirsttoseehowhecarriedoutthislife-longstoryinatwo-actplay.Itdidnttakemelongtoread,maybe2hoursorso.ButIwassortofblushedinbetweensometimes,imaginingtheactorstalkingsobluntlyatstage,abouttheexpressionofloveandsex.Murphyingeniouslyseparatethetwoactswithscenesofloveandsorrow,makingaudiencessmileorunabletostoplaughingforsomeofhumorsatfirstbutincrediblysadandmayevencryoutloudduringthesecondset.Handfulofcastsbuteveryroleisjusten-punto.Theverythingthattouchedmeinthisplayisthatthewholestorylineandeverydetailsofloveandconflictsaresoreal,whichcouldhappeninganyplaceorjustnext-door,butpeoplejustfailedtonoticehownormalLGBTgroupisorhowfragiletrueloveis,asanytypesofgroupsorlove.Butallwecouldthinkaboutisquot;weirdquot;quot;sissyquot;quot;alwaysfightingformarriagequot;quot;unhealtylifestylesquot;orquot;HIVpositivequot;andsoon.Threescenesintheplayhasleftmestrongimpression.ThefirstonelieinthebeginningwhenTimwroteJohntheletteraftertheirfirstdate,talkingabouttheerectionhehadandmasturbationafterwordswiththeworryabouttheexpressiononsexcouldbesorushforanewcouple.Themonologuefeltsoboldyetcutewhenactuallyspokenoutfroma16-yearoldschoolboy.WhilejohnistheonewhoactuallyreadtheletterwithTimaddingupsomeofhisfeelingontheside,theaudiencescoulddefinitelyfeelthechemistryandthebeautifulblumpin-between.ThesecondcouldbewhenTim,inhispubertyandfreshlynewincollege,wentthroughoutallthesetemptationingaybarandgaypeers.Hegraduallyacceptedthequot;non-monogamyoropenrelationshipquot;theoryanddecidedtoseparatewithJohnforawhile.Heallegedthattheyarebothquot;sexualinexperiencedquot;duetolongrelationshipwithpurelyeachother.IbelievethatmostoftheaudiencesandreaderswillfeelthestupidityandignoranceofTimtotryingtosabotagethiswonderfulrelationshipandaffection(whichhasbeenbuiltupthroughoutthepreviousscenes).Thiscanbeaturningpointoftheplayandindicatedtheheartbreakingending,especiallywhenTimregrettedtohaveinfectedAIDStoJohnandcriedinfronthermomforredemption.Butultimatelyitshocksmebyputtingoutstraightlyandruthlesslyhowfragilelovecouldbewhenfacingtemptationsandfreshinspirations.Myfinallyemotionaloutcrygoestoasimplegestureormoveinsteadacompletescene.ThoughIhavetoadmitthatthewholequot;findingoutHIVpositivequot;scenesistorturingandheartbreaking.ThesimplegesturethatTimquot;liftsupJohnsshirtwithhismouthandsnakedhisheadunderneathitquot;whentheylayonbedafterthenewsandcouldntgotosleep.Withtoomanybriliantdialoguesandplotsinthisplay,thismovehadjustcrushedallthedoubtsandsadnessabouttheirrelationship,leavingtheultimateintimacyandtrustandtreasureofeachother.Whenthatsceneissupposedtobehauntedwithendlesssorrowfromonandoffstage,thismovehasmadeusrecallthebeautyofloveandsupport.Sinceintheplay,thebedwashangingverticalabovestage(audiencesactuallystandingwhileleaningonthebed),makingaudiencehaveeverymoveinsight.Whatsmore,thedesignstageislovelywiththedimandlovelylightaroundthebedonthedarkandonlysomephotosoftheirlifetogetherseenfrombehind.Icanbarelythinkofanybetterinnovationinthefilmtosurpassthisscene.ThoughoverthreetheatersaroundAustraliahastheirversionsandactorsforthisplay,IstilladorethefirstpairinBelvoirSydney,GuyEdmondandMattZeremesjustgotthisabsolutechemistryandoriginalinnocenceonthosetwocharacters,thoughtheBrisbaneversiongotmuchhandsomeones.Anyway,lookingforwardtothisfilminAugust.IcouldnthelpbutrespectingTommyMurphyassuchayoungsuccessfulplaywright,hopinghecouldhavemoreworkonbigscreenaswell.