I recently discovered that regardless of your political views, The Gospel According to Paul is one-person showcase theatre at its best!
For Jonathan Biggins, playing the former and popular Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, has been quite the journey. What started out as a sketch routine at the Sydney Wharf Review, has developed into a critically acclaimed stand-alone show.
As with other productions throughout 2020, The Gospel According to Paul was placed on lockdown hiatus, but has since been enjoying a successful national tour.
Jonathan Biggins as former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating
For Biggins, who also wrote the one-person production, Keating’s story has transformed well to the stage, having received great praise and resonating with people of various ages and backgrounds.
“The play has really struck a chord with audiences, no matter where their political allegiances lie,” says Biggins.
“They respond to the play’s central question about leadership and how we haven’t really had any in the recent past. Keating was a leader who did what he said he was going to do, and for him, being PM was not about getting himself re-elected, it was about making big calls on big issues.”
“Keating is enormous fun because he was funny, acerbic and a great showman.”
Biggins does well to sustain the one-person show for ninety minutes, with never a dull moment. Keating’s story is told through flashback, reflecting on his and the Nation’s history, cleverly formatted with a retro slide projector, lavish office set and even some audience interaction. There’s also a song and dance number, which isn’t too surprising given the former PM’s love of Welsh crooner Tom Jones! In fact, there’s not too much need for poetic license.
“It’s factually correct,” explains Biggins.
Jonathan Biggins in a scene from The Gospel According To Paul
“But obviously a person like Keating has fixed views about how he sees himself and his legacy. The play is a mix of my own words and actual things he has said in conversations with people like Kerry O’Brien (journalist) and his biographer Troy Bramston, as well as his own speeches.”
“I also read Don Watson’s book about his years as Keating’s speech writer. Writing in the character of Keating is enormous fun because he was funny, acerbic and a great showman. It’s a very theatrical vehicle!”
“When Paul Keating saw the show, he said, “Thank you for being so generous.”
Of course the show’s biggest critic would have to be Keating himself, and as Biggins explains, it had received a PM stamp of approval.
“When Paul Keating first saw the show, he actually said, “Thank you for being so generous,” says Biggins.
“I think most of his family have seen it as well, and it’s always fun when you get people like John Dawkins (Labor Government Treasurer) or Gareth Evans (Labor Cabinet Minister) coming along and enjoying it because they were also there and know what he’s like.”
Directed by the acclaimed Aarne Neeme (OAM) The Gospel According to Paul goes far beyond a world of impersonation or parody. Biggins captures Keating’s soul to the point where the crowd are entranced.
“I always like theatre that relates directly to its audience,” he says.
“This play would mean almost nothing to anyone outside Australia, although there are universal lessons in its observations about politics and economics. And, indeed, the personal cost that all politicians of that degree of conviction have to bear. It’s great to hear the audience remember events and people, or for younger audiences to be introduced to a very significant part of recent Australian history.”
“It’s great for younger audiences to be introduced to a very significant part of recent Australian history.”
“I hope that they’ll remember what imagination and courage can do. That we were once led by people of conviction who worked extremely hard to lift the country up, who tried to lift as many people up as they could. Not all of it worked but at least they were having a go, trying to see the bigger picture and put in place policies for the future, not just for the six o’clock news.”
For more visit: www.qpac.com.au
