Above the Arts Theatre 1 – 23 July. Reviewed by Claire Roderick
Claudio Macor’s intense new play, inspired by a Peter Tatchell article, deals with the work of Dr Carl Værnet, a Danish doctor who claimed to have perfected a “cure” for homosexuality. When the Nazis occupied Denmark, they seized upon this cure and Værnet experimented on homosexuals in Buchenwald concentration camp. After the war, instead of being prosecuted by the Danish and the Allies, Værnet was protected and settled, with his family, in Argentina. Inspired by an article by Peter Tatchell on this little-known war criminal, Macor does not just give an account of Værnet’s work, but also portrays the devastating damage inflicted upon his victims and their loved ones by introducing the love story of Zack and Nicholai, which is the beating heart of the play.
Copenhagen 1940, and Zack (Nic Kyle), an American diplomat, and Nicholai (Alexander Huetson), a Copenhagen art dealer are arrested by the Nazis after being caught together on the streets. Zack is released, but Nicholai is imprisoned and sent for treatment to Dr Værnet (Gary Fannin). Keen to demonstrate his cure to General von Aechelman (Bradley Clarkson), Værnet uses Nicholai as a guinea pig for his brutal treatment, which involved injecting monkey testosterone directly into the testicles. Without anaesthetic. Not a pleasant scene to watch.
As the experiment is deemed a success, Værnet is moved to Prague and Buchenwald, and his patients are released. Nicholai is taken in by Ilse (Emily Lynne), Værnet’s disillusioned nurse, who contacts Zack, back in the US, but still desperately trying to find Nicholai.
Huetson and Kyle are wonderful as the two lovers – Huetson’s battered and broken Nicholai never quite relinquishing his humanity, and their reunion scene is simply heart-breaking.
Fannin is terrifying as Værnet – portraying the zealous self-belief and certainty in his actions without any emotion for his subjects. The only glimpse we get of the reasons for his beliefs is the story he tells of his childhood friend. But again, whatever trauma he felt, it has been channelled into his work. Lynne shows the subtle changes in nurse Ilse’s attitude towards the doctor and his methods effortlessly, and does well with this slightly underwritten character.
The play does feel a little long, mostly because of the sub plot involving the General and Georg (Lee Knight). Georg ran The Corner Light Club in Copenhagen (and made a stunning entrance in full drag – gorgeous), but the General kept him in his quarters until the war was lost. Rather than losing these scenes though, it would be better to cut elsewhere, because these characters are the most interesting in the play. Von Aechelman is not a monster, just an urbane, conflicted closet homosexual. His explanation of why men like him went along with Hitler at the beginning is particularly well written and played flawlessly by Clarkson, who manages to make the character almost likeable. Knight is full of simmering rage and dignity as Georg, with an exit line that matches the impact of his entrance. The balance of power in their relationship twists and turns to delicious satisfaction, and acts as a counterbalance to the more straightforward lovers parted /reunited arc of Zack and Nicholai. Thinking about it, these two stories highlight the idiocy, barbarity and prejudice of Værnet, the Nazis and modern bigots just by existing. Macor knows what he’s doing.
With simple set design – so effective in such a tiny space – and authentic costumes (just watch von Aechelman’s Iron Cross morph into a bling medallion), the production values are first rate. Macor’s script is full of glorious lines and heartfelt warnings about discrimination; and with a few little tweaks, this excellent play could become something truly great.