Whose life is it anyway?

Written by Brian Clark

6 & 7 May, 2005

When the gift of life becomes a fate worse than death

"We went midnight skateboarding...

...the only problem was that I was the skateboard."

When sculptor Ken Harrison is permanently paralysed by an accident, he is unwilling to concede to a life of physical helplessness and embarks on a struggle for the right to be allowed to die.

Over 30 years since its first airing Clark's witty and compassionate play raises issues of human dignity and medical ethics that are every bit as relevant today as they ever were.

To Be or Not To Be

The buzz words on the nation's lips right now are 'living wills', 'euthanasia' and 'mercy killings'. Whatever you want to call it, the one word everyone strives to avoid is 'death', yet ultimately this is what is being discussed. Whether dignified or untimely the question of how life should end is always under hot debate.

Recent media has highlighted the plight of the terminally ill wishing a peaceful, pain free exit. At the other end of the spectrum it has highlighted a self appointed angel of death injecting 'mercy' in some dark recess of poor medical practice. The result? We are all very much aware that the issues surrounding this hot topic are not clear cut. But what they certainly are, is emotive.

We all have an opinion. The big question is: Does this opinion count when the life under discussion is yours?

Lying down is a tall order

Once again amateur Cumbernauld theatre group, No Mean Company, dare to attempt the seemingly impossible. Historically never afraid to test their skills, they have been working relentlessly on their latest challenge, Brian Clark’s “Whose life is it anyway?”

The role of Ken is, without a doubt, one of the toughest for any actor to contemplate. Acting can be a difficult business even with full use of all limbs and the mere attempt to remain immobile for more than a few minutes leaves most people with a persistent urge to scratch their nose. It begs the question, how will actor Duncan Weir cope with two hours of forced inactivity onstage?

“With a lot of help from his friends,” say directors Ann MacEwan and Linda Howitt. “Unable to move for the entirety of the play, he will be relying very much on the rest of the cast to make sure he is comfortable for the duration and that’s going to be tough on them too. Not only do they need to remember their lines and directions and be aware that they are dealing with a very emotive subject but they also effectively have a patient on their hands who is unable to move around to make himself comfortable as he would naturally do under normal circumstances. There are going to be times when he will quite literally need their attention in order to help maintain the illusion.

Despite the difficulties and the sensitive subject matter, the cast of No Mean Company remain upbeat about the task ahead. “It’s a play we have been eager to do for some time,” says Linda. “And all the cast are working extremely hard on it. In addition to our usual meetings the company have willingly taken the time to attend extra rehearsals. It’s a level of commitment that really indicates how strongly they feel about getting this one just right.”

Laughter is the best medicine

With show week looming once again there’s just time for amateur group No Mean Company to polish up their latest performance of Brian Clark’s ‘Whose life is it anyway?’.

The play centres on sculptor Ken Harrison who, having been permanently paralysed by a car accident is unwilling to concede to a life of physical helplessness and embarks on a struggle for the right to be allowed to die. A little morbid, you might think, but surprisingly it’s not, according to the cast who sport grins that suggest they could be advertising toothpaste. Directors Anne MacEwan and Linda Howitt explain.

“Despite the weighty subject matter, the play is really a testament to the strength of the human spirit. The central character is fired with wit and intelligence from the start. In return the supporting cast are sympathetic, antagonistic and humorous in equal measure which really highlights the variety of opinions people have about the subject matter. It’s a classic balance of comedy and tragedy which really gives it potency.

“To be honest we were a little concerned at the beginning of rehearsals that billing this as comedy theatre might be inappropriate. However, as we’ve worked on it and really come to know where the characters are coming from, we’ve realised that it’s actually a seriously funny show without being insensitive to the issues it presents. In tackling this I think we’ve all learned a little about ourselves and the resilience that allows people to cope with overwhelming odds.

Whatever else it may be, the show is certainly one that catches the public imagination. The cast were astonished to learn shortly after the first posters went out that they were already selling tickets to people willing to travel some distance for the opportunity to see it. They can even boast a delegation of representatives coming from the Glasgow based Friends At The End (FATE), who campaign for the rights of the terminally ill to maintain their right to choose. It’s suspected that a number of pro-life groups may also take a close interest, so how do the cast feel about this kind of attention?

“The short answer is - we’re delighted!” says Linda. “We are not a political group. We don’t discriminate between audiences and don’t try to push any particular opinion onto them. We just hope that people will come along and find themselves entertained. If they leave feeling they have been given some food for thought then we will have done our job. The conclusions they come to are entirely up to them and that’s how it should be.

Review

Cumbernauld & Kilsyth News & Chronicle Wednesday May 11 2005

A gripping drama

Whose Life is it Anyway - written by Brian Clark for the BBC in the early 1970s - has seen its share of high-profile productions.

It has been a Hollywood movie directed by John Badham and starring Richard Dreyfuss, and more recently attracted the attention of Broadway theatregoers when a version appeared starring Kim Catrall of Sex and the City infamy.

However, intrepid Cumbernauld amateur group No Mean Company, never ones to be intimidated by precedent, brought their own version to local audiences this weekend.

This is drama with an agenda, protesting on hehalf of patients whose personal needs and desires are overridden by well-intentioned expert opinion. It is the story of a sculptor, Ken Harrison, left imprisoned in his own useless body after a car crash.

Unable or unwilling to adapt to his vastly reduced circumstances, Ken decides the only course of action is for him to be discharged from hospital to die with whatever dignity he can muster. However, his consultant, Dr Emerson, has other ideas. He believes it is his sworn duty to preserve Ken's life whether he wants it or not.

What follows is a gripping drama which explores a truly provocative issue, and one which surely struck a chord with many in the audience. While they lack Oscar-winning acting heavyweights, the cast of local amateur performers showed a real sense of connection with the material which overcame any rough edges to the production.

My only real criticisms were that occasionally some of the dalogue was a little on the muffled side - particularly true of Duncan Weir as Ken Harrison, although I appreciate that spending the entire play lying prone in bed must surely play merry hell with one's delivery, and that the resolution seemed a little too brisk, but that fault likely has more to do with the material than this production.

On balance though, NMC lived up to their usual high standards, tackling a demanding piece with their trademark enthusiasm and proving that their flair for comedy ranges from light farce to the very blackest humour.