The shaping of Ned Weeks

Issue 

The Destiny of Me
By Larry Kramer
Directed by Frank McNamara
New Theatre, 542 King St, Newtown
Friday and Saturday 8pm, Sun 5.30pm until April 20
Reviewed by Jen Crothers

The Destiny of Me continues the biography of playwright Larry Kramer's alter ego, Ned Weeks. Ned is still fighting AIDS and the system that is supposed to be treating it. Desperate, he has admitted himself into hospital and into the research arms of Anthony Della Villa, whom he has attacked viciously in the past.

Ned has seen most of his friends die around him, and he is keen for any chance at a lengthened life. His time in hospital is spent remembering growing up in the Depression and Holocaust era with his Jewish family.

While Ned's illness shapes the play, it's not really its central feature. Instead the main emphasis is on complex family relationships and human foibles. Ned grows up as Alexander, a boy who knows that he is different. His father hates him, but loves his older brother Ben, who excels in all fields. Ben is never there, though, and this is resented by their father.

Their mother spends most of her time helping others in the community through the war, and this upsets Ben, who tries his best at everything to please his mother. Each of these relationships pushes and pulls on Alexander's development into the unloving Ned. The interaction between Ned present and Ned past (Alexander) is very clever, if somewhat confusing to start with.

The characters are a very real mix of human strengths and weaknesses. The message from Ned is to fight, never give in, always resist. This is a powerful play and another excellent production by the New Theatre Company.

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