Nineteenth-century image of Lord Tichborne from Tarlton Law Library, University of Texas.
Who You Are is a rollicking show, based on the incredible true story of Lord Tichborne, an heir to an English fortune, who was presumed to have died in a shipwreck in 1854.
Years later, an obese butcher from Wagga Wagga, Tom Castro (the Claimant), declares that he is Lord Tichborne and boldly travels to England to claim his entitlement. Tichborne’s mother believes it is her long lost son, but is he telling the truth?
History (and fiction) is littered with impostors. In the classic 1941 novella, The Wife of Martin Guerre, a wife believes her husband has returned after a long absence, only to discover he is a fake. The 2012 documentary-film, The Impostor, tells the true story of a French conman who impersonates a missing Texas teenager. The family embrace his arrival, despite his physical appearance being vastly changed from the boy they knew.
Like these stories, Who You Are questions the way we construct our identity and highlights the subjectivity of our memories. Can we ever be sure about the past and what is real or imagined? And does it matter?
Written by Nick Backstrom (who also plays the Claimant), Who You Are tells this astonishing true story at a cracking pace. The dialogue is rapid-fire, sharp and funny, but faithful to the accents and norms of the era.
Backstrom is powerful as the Claimant, as he portrays the roguish, larger-than-life charms of Tom Castro (or is it Tichborne?) with energy and wit. He almost seems a Dickensian character, at times boorish, but tragically comic. His direct speech to the audience is a highlight.
Felicity Steel is outstanding as Tichborne’s French mother; her refined mannerisms and comic timing provide levity to a fragile hope that the Claimant is indeed her son. It is with the mother that the audience most closely identify, as the cracks begin to appear in the Claimant’s story.
The supporting cast is chameleon-like in their portrayal of a multitude of characters. Antony Okill (the Opponent) and Liza Dennis (the Lady) are both strong. Chris Palframan is terrific as Bogle (the Supporter) who, despite initial misgivings, believes that the Claimant is indeed Lord Tichborne.
While some of the dialogue is very funny, it is the intimate moments between the Claimant and the mother that provide a touching contrast, reminding the audience of her love for her son. It is in these moments that we are forced to question our beliefs and wonder if the Claimant could be Lord Tichborne. This uncertainty gives greater depth to the performance and could have been given more space and time to develop.
Despite minimal props, the audience is transported by the performances as we are taken from Wagga Wagga to London, then to Paris, and then to a courtroom where began what was the longest trial in British history. The costumes lend authenticity to the performances.
Director Douglas Montgomery and playwright Nick Backstrom have woven a fascinating story, energetically performed by a talented cast. Who You Are is equal parts mystery, comedy and history lesson in a one cracking performance.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Who You Are
A Word of Mouth Theatre production
Written by Nick Backstrom
Directed and designed by Douglas Montgomery
Performed by Nick Backstrom, Liza Dennis, Antony Okill, Chris Palframan and Felicity Steel
Stage Manager: Callum Harrington
Costume: Laura Pearse
Choreography: Sue Ellen Cox
La Mama Theatre, Faraday St, Carlton
www.lamama.com.au
19 – 30 March
