Garside's Career

In Garside's Career, written by Harold Brighouse before the first World War, Peter Garside is a skilled mechanic and avid Union member in 1914 Midlanton, England. He has just completed a university degree, an unusual achievement for a member of the working class. The Union and Garside's friends recruit him to run for Parliament, and why not? In addition to his degree, he possesses excellent oratory skills, prodigious energy, and much charisma. Garside wins, and off he goes to Parliament to fight for unions and the working man. Just one problem: his ambition and ego are every bit as big as his talent and charm.

Daniel Marconi and Amelia White

Photo: Maria Baranova

This is the Mint at its best, finding a worthy forgotten play and bringing it to life with top-notch direction, acting, and production values. In these days of shows being revised, rethought, and adapted (and occasionally destroyed), watching a thoughtful, respectful, excellent production of a smart, interesting, heartfelt play is a special treat. Thanks as always to the Mint for giving us so many of these special treats.

Sara Haider, Avery Whitted, Melissa Maxwell

Photo: Maria Baranova

Interestingly enough, Garside's Career represents a certain set of values in a way that undercuts those values, without, I think, meaning to do so. [here be spoilers] While clearly in favor of unions and fairness and hard work and being true to one's neighbors and friends, the play presents money and status as so seductive that Garside succumbs in about 30 seconds. He ends up in debt and neglects his role in Parliament to chase money. Eventually, the Union and his friends force him to resign from Parliament. He goes into a huge big-boy tantrum, furious at anyone who would interrupt his pity party. After a week of this, his old girlfriend, a solid, hard-working, unimaginative woman, reappears, ready to take him back. First she calls him on his shit, then she sets conditions. All she asks is that he give up everything that makes him him: ambition and ego, yes, but also talent and creativity. She wants him back in the world of mechanics, and, chastened, he agrees. So, he throws away everything he could do and be. Yes, he messed up, big time. But baby with the bathwater! With the support of his wife-to-be and the rest of the community, he might be able to learn to use his talents for good. More to the point, he will never stick to these agreements. Sooner or later, he will explode back into himself. Probably sooner. [end of spoilers]

The fact that I cared enough to argue  with a play that is over a century old shows the value of the Mint's work. Yesterday's plays have much to say to us today. And first-class productions are always welcome.

Wendy Caster