True West is a play about two estranged brothers. Austin, the younger brother, is a smartly dressed Hollywood screenwriter trying to make his way in the world. Lee, the dishevelled older brother, is a thief who has spent time living in the desert looking for their father.
The two brothers are reunited for the first time in some years in their mother’s home: she has gone to Alaska on holiday and left Austin house-sitting. Austin is working hard on a new screenplay for which he has arranged a meeting with a producer named Saul. Austin’s concentration is disturbed by this domineering older brother’s continual questioning. There is an uneasy atmosphere in the kitchen as Lee’s menacing line of questioning on the subject of the security at their mother’s house and surrounding properties appears to suggest that he plans to burgle the neighbours’ houses.
In order to get Lee to leave the house, Austin reluctantly lends him his car keys. This allows Austin to meet with the producer without his brother being present. However, before the end of the meeting, Lee reappears in the kitchen with what seems to be a stolen TV. Much to Austin’s horror, Saul and Lee appear to hit it off and have soon arranged a golf date for the next day. Things turn from bad to worse for Austin when we learn that, whilst the producer has indicated that he likes his screenplay, it is indeed an idea by Lee which he is particularly keen on. It is suggested that Austin and Lee should work together to produce the screenplay based on Lee’s idea.
The whole play takes place in the mother’s kitchen/dining room, a large well kept room with late 1970s/early 1980’s decor. Between scenes the curtain comes to a close horizontally, as opposed to vertically, almost making the stage appear as a movie set behind a Hollywood movie screen clapper.
The brothers eventually agree to work together to produce the screenplay. As the second half progresses, every time the curtain opens we see the kitchen fall into deeper disarray as the brothers get drunker and drunker both appearing deeply unhappy with the course of events in the play. As the play draws to an end, we see the two brothers stand face to face as the lights fade and the curtain closes.
True West is currently playing at The Citizens Theatre, Glasgow. For more info please visit here http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/true_west/
