Stone on Stone – Epstein Theatre

Stone on Stone, written by Frank Kenny and directed by Mikyla Jane Durkan, is a drama inspired by Charlie Chaplin’s infamous visit to John Larkin in Sing Sing Prison, New York in the early 1920s. An exploration of the political views of Larkin, the political education of Chaplin, and the constant peril Chaplin’s position as an internationally famous film star with far-left leanings, the exact definition of which he would constantly be deliberately vague in confirming, this play is an interesting look at what might have happened behind closed doors, when Larkin met Chaplin.

The play opens with James Larkin (John O’Gorman) discussing Chaplin’s forthcoming visit with the Warden (Franklyn Jacks). Unfortunately, a lot of the impact of this scene is lost due to some apparent confusion in the venue. For much of the opening scene, audience members were still taking their seats, which may have been exacerbated by there being no pre-show announcement in the theatre, with the same situation happening after the interval, the lack of announcements meaning that no one could know how long the interval was planned to have been. Delaying the start of the show until all audience members were seated would have been beneficial and it is a shame that the Company were disrupted by this interference.

Thom Williamson, playing Max Eastman has excellent presence and is able to dominate the stage whenever he is on it. The storyline with his conflict with Claude McKay (Addae G) would have been worthy of further development, and a fuller resolution of the disagreement between these characters. 

It is always interesting to see which aspects of history writers include when writing stories inspired by reality. The absence of Frank Harris, who was both present at and in fact instigated Chaplin’s visit to Larkin allows the relationship between Larkin and Chaplin to shine through without the addition of a third party. Reference to Chaplin’s deportation from the US in the closing monologue occurring in 1951, when this is fact happened in 1952, appears to have been done to maintain a chronology of odd numbers.

The chemistry between O’Gorman and Lew Freeburn, playing Chaplin, is excellent. Their exploration of the traumatic events they have both lived through and their discussion of politics is thought provoking and definitely could have been expanded to delve further into the intricacies of their political opinions. The awkward comedy created by Chaplin’s inability to concentrate and not play every situation for a joke, contrasting with Larkin’s seriousness enhances the dynamic between the two characters. Chaplin’s references to inducing laughter being a way to exert control over situations is an interesting premise.

The use of Chaplin inspired physical theatre adds a nice slant to the play and both Freeburn and O’Gorman perform this skill brilliantly. As well as Chaplin’s slapstick skills, it might have been nice to include some of his iconic oration, such as that seen in The Dictator, to show his political growth. It would also have been nice to see some further examination of the conditions Larkin lived with in Sing Sing Prison and review the background of Chaplin sending gifts to Larkin’s family inspired by his conversation with him.

Overall, the cast are strong performers and work well together throughout the performance. There are some occasions when the accents being utilised slip and this does aggravate some slight issues with projection, particularly when lines are being delivered upstage. It is worth bearing in mind when delivering lines away from the audience that extra effort needs to be given to audibility. 

Stone on Stone is an interesting drama which captures the spirit of unfair incarceration and solidarity between people with correlating beliefs. Nods to Chaplin’s early childhood experiences in Liverpool fit nicely with the venue and enriches the cast’s relationship with the audience. This intriguing play is definitely worthy of further development and performance to increase awareness of this often forgotten meeting of two men remembered for their activism and determination to see a fair and just society.  

Reviewer: Donna M Day

Reviewed: 24th March 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★★