The Best Of Enemies – The Young Vic, London

A review of The Best of Enemies, on now at the Young Vic in a co-production with Headlong. A slick and creatively-staged look back at the televised debates between two American men of letters illuminates the political present.

William F. Buckley Jr. Vs. Gore Vidal

Theatre, it is stated in the programme for this production, allows us to look through the prism of the past to understand the present. That is certainly true of The Best of Enemies, currently on at the Young Vic. It tells the story of televised debates between William F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vidal. The debates were cooked up by American network ABC, in order to win a bigger market share during the GOP and Democratic Conventions of 1968. This is a new play on the subject by James Graham, inspired by the 2015 documentary of the same name by Morgan Neville and Robert Gordon. It’s the first time to my knowledge that I’ve seen a play adapted from a documentary; but if this is the result, I would happily see more.

To understand the play, you have to go back to a time before we had 24 hour news cycles and talking heads pitted against each other on every subject. ABC were the new kids in town, behind in the ratings, and without the funding to compete on a level playing field with rivals NBC and CNN. With the political conventions coming up, they hit on something innovative. Rather than rolling coverage, why not have a nightly summary of the day’s events, debated by learned yet entertaining figures representing each side.

We see this creative process play out on stage. And it’s certainly interesting to gain insight into today’s network news behemoth. Also interesting is the selection of the two figures. On the right, we have William F. Buckley Jr., founder of the conservative National Review and host of public affairs television show Firing Line. On the left, Gore Vidal: public intellectual, author and failed politician. The structure of the play is to take verbatim dialogue whenever the characters are in front of the camera, and fill in the blanks behind the scenes to give the audience an insight into these men and their motivations. What results is illuminating.

The Best of Enemies

ABC’s little experiment pays dividends. Ratings start to build, and by the end of the Republican Convention in Florida, the network’s ‘unconventional convention coverage’ is getting serious attention. Viewers are not tuning in for polite and balanced conversation, however. Buckley and Vidal repeatedly butt heads, and viewers are enjoying seeing the sparks fly. It’s as if the election is playing out in miniature; viewers glean ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ from whoever is ‘winning’ the debate.

What a lot of pressure, particularly as the action moves to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. A convention which was set against a backdrop of protest and revolutionary unrest (this is after all 1968, when Parisian students were showing the world how it was done). And what Graham’s play (and presumably the earlier documentary) does well is to illustrate how a small project which appealed to each man’s vanity quickly became something much bigger. The stakes much higher. And eventually reached a fever pitch which ensured it became part of both of their legacies.

This is a useful prism indeed to think about our own restless times. About how one commercial decision here can eventually change the political discourse over there. It’s mostly done subtly and effectively, and the more heavy-handed lines about TV stars and Presidents come straight from Gore Vidal so I can’t begrudge that either. That the dialogue comes mostly from two of America’s most famous men of letters makes this quite an intellectual play. But it’s nice not to feel talked down to, to feel we are in the inner circle of these two sparkling wits.

Final Thoughts

I haven’t said much yet about the actual experience of watching the play. I thought it was great. It’s very well acted, with inspired casting in the form of David Harewood as Buckley, and Charles Edwards as Vidal. They each project the sort of confidence masking deep-seated vulnerability that is perfect for these figures. They are surrounded by an excellent cast, each playing multiple roles. I never thought I would see the same actor (Tom Godwin) play Andy Warhol and Enoch Powell in the same play – what a way to show off range! There are no weak links, and I particularly liked John Hodgkinson and Kevin McMonagle (who was also excellent in After Life) as sweary mid-century alpha males.

The staging and set design (Bunny Christie, video design by Luke Halls) is also very slick and very effective. I loved the TV studio set up, and staging it in the round made the action feel immediate and urgent. Plus there are old-school television cameras projecting the actors up onto screens: a fabulous touch.

I think this play is of most appeal to those with an interest in its subject matter. The American Century, the rise of television, political and literary figures. There are many points of interest. It’s also funny, engaging and well-acted, under the astute direction of Jeremy Herrin. Well worth a look – I enjoyed it immensely.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 4.5/5

The Best of Enemies scheduled to run until 22 January 2022 – check the Young Vic website to confirm details