On the Waterfront Lyric Theatre, HK Academy for Performing Arts
In his stage adaptation of the 1954 Oscar-winning movie On the Waterfront, British director and actor Steven Berkoff draws parallels between this crime drama by Budd Schulberg and a Greek tragedy.
The play, which is based on a series of newspaper articles about racketeering, extortion and other criminal activities on the Manhattan and Brooklyn waterfront, tells of a former prizefighter and loner who takes on corrupt union thugs. The intimidated workers, like the Greek chorus, observe the action and comment in the background. And there is a strong moral to the story. But what makes this piece really tick, according to the director, is how it talks directly to the audience, as the theme of what ordinary folks would do in order to survive is universal.
So how well does this 2008 production, which is part of the Hong Kong Arts Festival, speak to us?
Terry Malloy (Simon Merrells) is a 'bum' running errands for Johnny Friendly (Berkoff), the docks' union boss. After becoming indirectly involved in the murder of one of Friendly's underlings, he faces the dilemma of either 'be deaf and dumb' or snitching on the kingpin.
When Malloy falls for the dead man's sister Edie Doyle (Bryony Afferson), the reason and choice to testify against Friendly becomes stronger.