Simon Russell Beale’s Liberace is a life force too great to be tamed in Martin Sherman’s meta new play

Simon Russell Beale delivers a commanding performance as the iconic, flamboyant pianist Liberace in Martin Sherman’s new meta-theatrical play, "I’ll Be Seeing You," currently being staged at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Beale makes a striking entrance, suspended mid-air amidst a heavenly haze of smoke and light, adorned in a voluminous silver cape and a spangled waistcoat. His portrayal is described as a "life force too great to be tamed," a characteristic that immediately presents a significant challenge for the character played by Fra Fee.

Fra Fee takes on the role of a writer who has been commissioned by the Pitlochry Festival Theatre to pen a play about Liberace. The central conflict of the narrative arises from the writer's profound disdain for everything the American showbiz pianist, born Władziu Valentino Liberace, represented. Liberace, a hugely popular entertainer in the mid-20th century, was known for his ostentatious stage persona, lavish costumes, and a seemingly uncritical embrace of consumerism and celebrity, elements that the commissioned writer evidently finds objectionable.

The play is the latest work from Martin Sherman, an 87-year-old playwright renowned for his provocative and often unexpected contributions to theatre, including the acclaimed 1979 play "Bent," which explored the persecution of homosexuals in Nazi Germany. "I’ll Be Seeing You" continues this tradition of tackling complex and potentially controversial subjects. The meta-theatrical nature of the play suggests it will be self-aware, likely commenting on the very process of theatrical creation, the challenges of biographical storytelling, and the inherent difficulties in translating a larger-than-life personality onto the stage.

The production at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, a venue known for its commitment to new writing and diverse programming, provides a fitting environment for this ambitious and layered production. The play delves into the intricate struggle of an artist tasked with celebrating or even merely depicting a subject whose persona and values they fundamentally oppose. This internal conflict is amplified by the sheer magnetism and undeniable presence of Liberace, as embodied by Beale. The success of "I’ll Be Seeing You" hinges on its ability to navigate these thematic complexities while delivering engaging theatricality. Beale's powerful interpretation of Liberace serves as the irresistible, yet deeply problematic, subject matter that fuels the narrative, with the review emphasizing the overwhelming force of his performance as a key element complicating the writer's artistic endeavor.