A classic Hollywood western has been reborn on the London stage, with Billy Crudup and Denise Gough leading a charged new production that transforms the film into a gripping debate play. Thea Sharrock's adaptation of High Noon at the Harold Pinter theatre harnesses the story's original McCarthy-era roots to speak directly to contemporary political anxieties.
From Silver Screen to Stage: A Reluctant Musical
The production incorporates an unexpected element: the music of Bruce Springsteen. Several of The Boss's songs, including Land of Hope and Dreams and The Rising, are woven into the narrative, bringing their own layer of American politics. The musical integration feels tentative at times, with short, thin songs, but the percussive sound design and Neil Austin's evocative lighting create a consistently arresting atmosphere. Denise Gough delivers several numbers a cappella, her strong voice conveying deep desolation, though her reprise of I'm on Fire is deemed excessive.
Initially, the staging can seem disjointed, shifting briskly between brief, filmic scenes against a handsome clapboard set. However, the piece finds its rhythm as theatre, building a locomotive energy as it races towards the inevitable showdown. A central clock in Tim Hatley's set design ticks down relentlessly to the arrival of the noon train, heightening the tension towards a finale that manages to be thrilling despite the inherent challenge of staging a cross-town shootout.
A Timely Allegory Reborn
The core power of this revival lies not in its songs but in the uncanny urgency of its central debate. The 1952 film, written by Carl Foreman while he was being blacklisted, was a clear allegory for McCarthyism. It pits the cowardice of a community against the courage of a lone individual, Marshal Will Kane. Eric Roth's script retains many of Foreman's original lines but fleshes out the ethical arguments, holding a mirror to misguided American myths and collective inaction.
The production vibrates with new relevance, seeming to speak directly to the divisions in Trump's America and the ongoing dilemmas around civic responsibility. As the review notes, the story's critique of a community squirming out of its duties feels pointedly contemporary, referenced alongside events like the shooting in Minneapolis. The political message ultimately speaks the loudest, connecting the fear of the 1950s with the 'Trumpian terror' of today.
Standout Performances in the Dust
Billy Crudup steps into the iconic role of Marshal Will Kane, made famous by Gary Cooper. He successfully evades Cooper's long shadow, portraying an upstanding, earnest, and increasingly desperate man holding the line against chaos. Opposite him, Denise Gough plays Amy Fowler, a Quaker bride who abhors violence. Gough brings a grittier, more modern sensibility to the part than her film counterpart Grace Kelly, making the couple's crisis compelling.
While their characterisations are sometimes narrow, limiting the full scale of their abilities, their chemistry is convincing. Some supporting roles, including Billy Howle's deputy and Rosa Salazar's Mexican businesswoman Helen, feel underdeveloped, though the script commendably gives more texture and voice to the female characters than the original. Despite early stiffness, the play builds to moving moments, powered by its timeless and timely interrogation of courage and complicity.
High Noon runs at the Harold Pinter theatre, London, until 6 March.
