Review: The Tailor-Made Man (Stage Door Theatre)

Review by Sam Waite

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“Look at what they did to William Haines,” has, for decades, been oft-given advice in the entertainment industry, when gay performers want to live publicly as such. A bona fide silent movie star who successfully transitioned to the talkies, Billy Haines’ refusal of the tried and tested methods to cover up homosexuality resulted in a firing from MGM, and his prospects elsewhere being immediately limited – outright destroyed, with Hollywood’s major studios. Known today for his still-operating interior design firm, Haines’ story is the subject of Claudio Macor’s play The Tailor-Made Man, revived at the intimate and adaptable Stage Door Theatre. 

Moving swiftly through key points in his life and career, The Tailor-Made Man’s primary focus is Haines’ decades-long relationship with Jimmie Shields. From 1926 until Haines’ passing in 1973, he and Shields lived together and, eventually, ran their interior design business together. In this new production, Hugo Pilcher stars as Billy Haines while Gwithian Evans, seen last year in the little-know, short-running murder mystery The Mousetrap, plays the all-important role of Jimmie, as well as covering smaller roles throughout. In fact, Pilcher is the only actor to not multi-role, the wise decision being made to make use of the leading players rather than overstuffing the intimate venue with cast members dashing in and out for one-scene appearances.

With the traverse staging having the actors moving near and even through the audience to enter the performance space, designer David Shields utilises the length of the room, with desks for the myriad of offices Haines was called into for meetings and reprimands represented by raised desks at either end. In the centre is a chaise lounge, draped in fabrics and prepared to be sprawled across by fabulous men and beautiful women alike, alluding to Billy’s famous taste in furnishings, and perhaps to the casting couches and backstage affairs old Hollywood is still famous for today. Robert McWhir makes solid use of the layout, spreading his cast out around the room when gathered for scenes in grand mansions, creating the illusion of space and that the audience seating is simply part of the furniture.

Pilcher makes a strong London debut as Billy Haines, eminently believable as the cocky pretty-boy whose inability to keep his hands to himself is something he’s neither ashamed of nor willing to hide. As the central relationship progresses, he also brings a great deal of empathy to the role, seeming so convincingly in love and stirring up a strong chemistry with Evans’ Jimmie. Evans brings a frailty to Jimmie’s enduring love, often seeming on the edge of tears when struggling to reconcile his happiness for Billy’s escapades with others and the continued discomfort of feeling pushed into the background. Both also do well with the play’s comedy, their back-and-forth jabs to one other and to their Hollywood friends carrying the needed affection to keep the pair from coming across as cruel. Evans also acts as a narrator, filling in the gaps between these key moments of Haines’ life through the lens of his relationship with Shields.

Marion Davies, Follies-girl turned film actress, is played with a delightful snark by Shelley Rivers. Her wig may be less than convincing (this isn’t a high-budget West End engagement, to be fair!) but her determined bubbliness and way with a cutting one-liner are magic. Dereck Walker brings the requisite sternness to Louis B Mayer, the studio head whose clashes with Billy eventually ended in the latter’s termination. The remainder of the cast jump between roles, making quick-changes behind the scenes to fill out the studios and sets, vanishing into new roles seamlessly. First appearing as a secretary, Olivia Ruggiero gets a chance to ham it up as silent film star Pola Negri – thickly accented and wildly entertaining – before making a pivotal appearance as Carole Lombard, a longtime friend and client of Billy’s.

Particularly strong in his changes between character is Peter Rae, both as the business-minded American executive Howard Strickling, and as English playwright-turned-Hollywood screenplay author Victor Darro. With one role focused on the frustrations of working to keep Billy out of the papers, and building a false fatherly connection, the other is a dear friend and part-time lover, characterised by the sigh in his tone and eventually a major part of Billy and Jimmie’s social circle. The ability to switch between the two is impressive, to the point that I may have believed these were two separate performers had the performance not been happening quite so close to its audience.

The material is not without its shortcomings – wisely, McWhir and his team opted to trim an entire scene from the second act. Had the scene, set at a party at Carole Lombard’s redecorated home, remained, its lean sharply into the occasionally info-dumping qualities of Macor’s text may have been too much, given the intimacy of the space. Whereas other scenes are peppered with asides and references, this one likely would have risked coming across as the actors simply standing in front of their audience and stating facts about Haines, his work, his friends, and the studio system. Working much better to immerse us in the world of 20’s and 30’s Hollywood is Steve Caplin’s video design, which utilises title and caption cards much like those of silent films to frame and clarify scenes.

By now, many of us are well aware of the pitfalls that befell those within the studio system, and just as many have seen near-countless stories about the struggles of these actors to live and work authentically. Still, there is a uniqueness to the William Haines story – this was not a star hiding for the sake of his career, but a man who was willing to toss that career aside if it meant being able to live his truth – and learning that his dear friend “Cranberry” (the legendary Joan Crawford) referred to him and Jimmie Shields as the happiest married couple in Hollywood brought a warm and hopeful energy to counterbalance the darker, less comfortable subjects raised in The Tailor-Made Man’s powerful final scenes.

The Tailor-Made Man plays at the Stage Door Theatre, Drury Lane on select dates until July 31st

For tickets and information visit https://www.stagedoortheatre.co.uk/the-tailor-made-man-17-april-12-june/

Photos by Peter Davies