A tender story about family hostility and gay love
In 2005, the release of Brokeback Mountain made tidal waves. While several people dismissed the Ang Lee-directed feature as “the gay cowboy film”, there were those who stared at the screen in awe and joy. Two men, masculine in appearance and personality but restrained by societal and interpersonal expectations of manliness, would escape their confines to indulge in a gentle, kind, passionate romance. The line “I wish I knew how to quit you” is now known as one of the most memorable lines in cinema, the emotion behind it a driving force for queer people living in fear and shame.
It is difficult to write about Two Come Home (directed by Isobel Sheard) without recalling the beauty of Brokeback Mountain. This play is based on the “gay cowboy” trope, but explores many other facets of queerness and masculinity. The story focuses on working-class people in the deep South. The protagonist, Evan (portrayed by Joe Eason), is an ex-convict and recovering addict. He represses his homosexuality through meaningless sexual encounters, though he secretly writes songs about love. As well as having to contend with his shame around his sexuality, he must survive the tense dynamics created by his alcoholic mother and bigoted convict father.
All the actors play their roles brilliantly. The chemistry between Eason and Ryan Williams, portraying Evan’s lover Jim, can be felt through the room even before it is explicitly revealed that they were lovers in the past. Hannelore Canessa-Wright, playing the mild-mannered lesbian police officer Ashley, is funny and sweet. Krista Larsen is immensely watchable as Evan’s mother, unafraid to ramp up her performance to the point where we feel uncomfortable. Eason writes for those who search desperately for allies, and the horrid betrayal we feel when these people end up siding with our enemies – Larsen captures that fantastically.
Ryan Williams and Michael Claff (portraying Evan’s father Caleb) deliver stellar performances. Jim has a softness in him that is not feminine, yet easy to forget that this level of kindness and love exists in men. Eason’s exploration of masculinity is incredibly nuanced, and Williams’s portrayal reflects a deep understanding of the play. In contrast, Claff portrays the type of man that strikes fear into those he encounters; Caleb’s emotions are unpredictable, his words cutting. Both actors stood out to me because characters like Jim and Caleb are difficult to flesh out completely, but they excelled.
Two Come Home also contains beautiful musical numbers, performed by Eason and singer-guitarist Emily Moment. The tune and lyrics are so memorable – one song, performed behind the set by Moment when Evan and Jim are kissing after a decade of lies and pain, is about the need to be free. For God to not watch, but to leave them alone so they can enjoy each other fully. The songs were so pleasant and necessary to listen to, perfectly encapsulating the pain of repression and the relief of being true to ourselves and those we love.
Two Come Home is an exceptional play. It is well-written and acted. It is beautiful, filled with moments both soft and tough. You will not know how to quit this story, that is for sure!