The Laramie Project

A diminutive gay student named Matthew Shepard was tied to a prairie fence in Wyoming and bashed to death in 1998. He never knew it but Matthew left a remarkable legacy.

This hate crime had ongoing national media coverage, three films and three documentaries followed, and an outstanding verbatim theatre project garnered right after the murder from locals in Matthew’s small city of Laramie.

Author Moises Kaufman and actors from his US company created The Laramie Project by visiting the city six times and interviewing almost everybody. They built a compelling narrative by splicing together the often conflicting recollections.  Staged now at the New Theatre, ten actors play some 80 roles.

On David Marshall-Martin’s sparse set punctuated by tall jagged timbers, with echoes of crucification, Mark G Nagle directs a speedy first act of local memories spoken directly to the audience and revealing this sad story up to Matthew’s rain-soaked funeral. 

The authenticity of Southern US accents varied a lot between actors, but also the ability of some to clearly distinguish different roles. In that blur and rush we missed the beats and pauses when characters - and perhaps their darkness - could be better seen.  

All was redeemed however in act two as the bandaids were ripped off, the trials of the two self-confessed young killers began, and locals revealed what they really thought - especially the churchmen seeing only the greater “sin of sodomy”.

This expertly verbatim play snatches from three decades ago the common antigay qualifications and sly excuses of bigots.  Why is this “dead fag” getting so much attention compared to other deaths? And that old straight defence - didn’t the killer say Matthew ran his hand up his leg? And look, those people are fine as long as they don’t come on to me?  And wasn’t he always looking for it?  He had HIV didn’t he, and was on drugs?

This ensemble cast delivered a wrenching portrayal of a small proud community convinced no gays lived among them, now being hit by a meteorite.  Alexander Sussman’s instrumental music added good atmosphere and Tash McBride’s lighting aptly steered our focus between speakers - Stephen Allbutt, Michelle Robin Anderson, Gina Cohen, Ruba El-kaddoumi, Rayyan Khan, Rich Knighton, Samantha Lambert, John Michael Narres, Riya T and Charlie White.

Martin Portus

Photos (c) Chris Lundie