Production explores male friendship and masculinity

If good theatre challenges opinions and assumptions while also entertaining, Silo Theatre's latest production should score a home run.

Written by Richard Greenburg, Take Me Out explores male friendship and masculinity by putting the spotlight on that most male of domains - sport. It also takes a swipe at the hypocrisy of celebrity culture, with its emphasis on conformity, and asks how inclusive society really is.

Although Take Me Out premiered at London's Donmar Warehouse Theatre, it draws on America's national pastime, baseball, as the backdrop for its story which begins when major league ball-player Darren Lemming (Fasitua Amosa) unexpectedly outs himself at a mid-season press conference.

The ramifications of his revelation (it's not for nothing that his surname is Lemming) reverberate through the team, the media and across the country which struggles with the news that this paragon of masculinity is not the person they thought he was.

Or is he? And does his sexuality really matter?

Some players are instantly accepting; others feel uncomfortable, particularly in the showers where the normally relaxed atmosphere and towel-flicking antics are replaced by feelings of vulnerability and betrayal.

Shane Bosher, who leaves the world of programming and theatre management at the Silo to direct Take Me Out, read the play in 2003. He put aside thoughts of staging it, fearing the Silo Theatre - best described as "intimate" - was too small for a production with a cast of 11 and actual working showers on stage.

But after successfully staging works like Badjelly the Witch and The Women he had a re-think and began casting Take Me Out last year with Amosa, Craig Hall and Edwin Wright in leading roles.

"They created a strong sense of ensemble in Boys in the Band and I wanted to build on that in Take Me Out," says Bosher. "I got my first choice for every role in Take Me Out, which is very unusual."

David Van Horn, Mark Ruka, Jarod Rawiri, Nathan Whitaker, Jeff Szusterman, Paul Barrett, Jerome Matthews and Andy Wong complete the cast. Bosher jokes that before anyone would sign their contract, they wanted reassurance that the showers would be warm.

The shower scenes require several of the cast to be naked but Bosher believes any controversy which often surrounds on-stage nudity will not over-shadow the play's message.

"There are only three nude scenes and they are very well considered.

"The purpose is to illustrate a world in which these men have never noticed they are naked before, but, suddenly, they're all too aware of it."

Bosher says the nakedness in the play is used as a statement about vulnerability and as Amosa admits to being nervous, "acting vulnerable" won't be difficult.

"Short of baring your soul, you're venturing into the last bastion of sacredness and even as an actor that's difficult to do."

He has been training since November, going to the gym each day, monitoring his diet and drinking protein shakes.

"We have to take our clothes off and all actors want to look their best," he laughs.]

"It's not only that. This is a play about professional athletes so you want to look the part and feel a little bit of what it's like to have a regimented training programme and to have to control your diet."

While the training techniques and public face of sport may change, the tension remains between male sporting prowess and perceptions of sexuality. Just look at the fuss created by rugby players wearing eye-liner or former All Black captain Tana Umaga using a handbag to batter team-mate Chris Masoe.

Bosher was never tempted to adapt Take Me Out, and trade baseball for rugby or set it in New Zealand. "That would do a disservice to the play and would be like telling the audience they are not sophisticated enough to get it."

LOWDOWN

* What: Take Me Out

* Where and when: Silo Theatre, Lower Greys Ave, Aug 18-Sep 23