REVIEW: Butley

Presented by Harry H. Miller Productions at the Metro Bourke Street Theatre, Melbourne, Australia. April 1971

Character: Ben Butley

The action is set in the office of an English lecturer at a university in London, England.

Above: Peter as Ben Butley

Background

When ‘Butley’ began its run in Melbourne, Australia, it was already enjoying great success thousands of miles away in London, and believed by many critics to be one of the most brilliant pieces of contemporary writing ever to hit the commercial stage. The entertaining skill of its author – Hampshire-born, Simon Gray – had already been recognized with a London Evening Standard Drama Award, and public response had confirmed the enthusiasm with which the critics had greeted it. For anyone who has never had the opportunity to see ‘Butley’ (Alan Bates took the lead role in the 1973 American Film Theatre Production), the only way to describe it is a bitingly funny observation of a very credible situation involving difficult and often abrasive human relationships.

The play, which is set in an office of the University of London, centres around the exploits of one Ben Butley – a lecturer and alcoholic – who succeeds in insulting just about anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. Harry H. Miller, head of the theatre production company which staged the play at the Metro Theatre in Melbourne said at the time that he felt they were fortunate to have been able to secure Peter’s services in the lead role. “His television series have made him internationally popular, “ he said, “and anyone fortunate enough to have seen him perform in the theatre abroad will have no doubt of his gifts as a stage actor. My determination to cast him in a production of mine began when I met him during a brief visit he made to Australia little more than a year ago, and I am happy that the opportunity has occurred with this production of Butley.” In the play, Peter played a cantankerous man who shares both his office and flat with Joseph, his former star pupil, who is now a teacher himself.

The Story

The word Butley might well one day pass into language. As Mitty is to daydreaming, Butley is to self-destruction. Not the simple physical suicide, but the death of a thousand self-inflicted emotional wounds.

On the day that the story is set, Ben faces both the breakdown of his marriage to Anna, and the reproductions of his intense relationship with Joseph. His painful discoveries are made against a backdrop of University politics and the instability of student unrest. Ben, of course, greets every twist and turn with a blistering torrent of expletives and rhetoric. What was so wonderful about Peter’s performance as the defeatist Butley, was his ability to be so funny in the face of such tragedy. His stark, unsentimental approach to Ben’s relationship with Anna and Joseph, and the cynical send-up of his academic life, coupled with his sceptical view of the teacher/pupil associations were truly stunning.

Peter Wyngarde plays university lecturer, Ben Butley, who shares his office and his flat with a former star pupil, Joey, now also a teacher. On the day that the play is set, Butley faces both the ultimate breakdown of his marriage and of his intense friendship with Joey. Butley’s painful discoveries are made against a background of petty university politics and unease about student dissent. He greets them with a blistering torrent or repartee and rhetoric.

Butley is the person who wilfully wrecks all his personal relationships; who mocks everything he hold sacred, who murders all he holds dearest. His moment of complete self-abasement is his orgasm of fulfilment. Simon Gray’s play was a brilliant character study and a profound one.

When the play begins, Ben is waiting with malice aforethought for Joe to return from a weekend spent with ben’s rival, Reg Nutall (Bruce Kerr). Joes’ dilemma is to decide whether to leave Ben for Reg, and then summon the courage to do it. Ben recognises his doubts and sets about multiplying them and adding to Joe’s confusion. He taunts and torments Joe, stalks him cat-and-mouse fashion, freeing him momentarily and then pinning him again with his claws.

He teases and tantalises, advancing backwards and retreating forwards – driving his victim nearer and nearer to the corner from which there is no escape. Lover, wife, colleague, pupils – all are prey to the lash of Ben’s tongue and the dark side of his mind. And they all flinch and retreat in the face of persistent malevolence. And what a malevolence! Misanthropy dressed in magnificent words; the summit of sarcasm; a spluttering series of verbal firecrackers exploding across the footlights.

Structurally it is unorthodox. Its main character is on stage for its duration and the plot unfolds in a series of verbal punch-ups between Butley and the satellite characters

Butley wins all the battles but loses the war. Academic niceties such as “balance” and “interplay” of characters go by the board. Butley hogs the lot and a wonderfully convincing self lacerating sardonic man emerges. A tormented tormentor driven by daemons he recognises but cannot control.

From the moment he ambled into the seedy office, Peter Wyngarde was in full control of the main character. He imbued Ben with a sense of physical self-disgust. This was no intellectual’s absentminded (or studied) shabbiness. You could almost smell his socks!

The climax was the finest piece of dramatic writing since ‘A Man For All Seasons’. It was a confrontation between Ben and his rival, Reg. They began their joust slowly, warily; rapier against cutlass. Ben stepped up the pace. Joe enters. Ben realises this is his last chance to keep the vacillating Joe, so he throws it away in a glorious go-for-broke avalanche of taunts and jeers.

Joe is spellbound, amused, and finally alienated. Ben’s best performance brings about his defeat. He is alone.

Butley was first presented in London in 1971, with Alan Bates in the title role, with Richard Briers taking over the part. A friend of mine was fortunate enough to see both the above, but reported that Peter eclipsed them both.

Above: The Metro Theate, Melbourne. on the opening night of Butley.

Critics Comments ‘Peter Wyngarde as Butley is nothing short of superb. His delivery, his timing, his sense of the dramatic leaves nothing to be desired. In one of the finest performances I’ve ever seen he creates a Butley that is real in every sense, It is possible to believe that Wyngarde has ever been anyone but Butley. He is cutting, dashing, active and melodramatic – a whole gamut of emotions and nuances. I find myself short of superlatives to describe his wonderful performance; a performance that entranced the audience from beginning to end, that never flagged or slowed down, indeed it became more intense with every moment. The remainder of the cast were perfect foils for Wyngarde’s brilliance.” The Planet – 1st June, 1972 ‘Peter Wyngarde presents this two-level figure with an actor’s skill and psychologicalist’s sensitivity.” The Courier Mail “It was the finest acting performance I have seen since Marlon Brando in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ The West Australian

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