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Public Property

Published Tuesday 17 November 2009 at 11:00 by Catherine Usher

What is clear from the outset is that this production is in assured hands. However much the dialogue and storyline wavers, Robert Daws, Nigel Harman and Steven Webb are fantastic in their respective roles as the closet homosexual newsreader - soon to become tabloid fodder, his slippery PR man hiding a multitude of secrets and the reluctant rent boy, bringing about his downfall with spectacular vulgarity.

An examination of contemporary media and its self-perpetuating forces, Daws as Geoffrey Hammond, the anchorman of the story, is led by circumstances to re-examine his role as a cog in the unending news machine cycle. Geoffrey’s interaction with his publicist Larry De Vries (Harman) is priceless - the clever way in which temperaments and loyalties continually shift demonstrates writer Sam Peter Jackson’s subtle development of a complex, fascinating relationship. Webb is particularly impressive as the 16-year-old pawn in the proceedings - appearing vulnerable one minute and magnetically self-confident the next.

Rather like an American sitcom, the show is made up of a multitude of quick-fire gags and for the most part it fulfils expectations. The high hit rate should impress most audience members, but for some the pattern could become irritatingly formulaic.

Televised guest appearances from Stephen Fry, Natasha Little and Elize De Toit as news vultures dissecting the collapse of their colleague’s career add a nice dose of realism, as he looks on horrified.

It’s great fun to watch Geoffrey and Larry try and fight their way out of their tangled webs of deceit, but the cynicism that runs throughout is almost toxic. Better to enjoy the relentless one-liners and the banter than fixate on the fact that there’s doubtless a lot of truth to the tale.

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