Lautrec, Camden Fringe, stage review: ‘Timely reflection on the emotional toll of long-term illness’

The tortured artist may be a cliché, but that does not lessen the relevance of the complex relationship between creativity and suffering. Post-impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec encapsulates much of what we associate with fin de siècle bohemian life – the absinthe, dancing girls and syphilis of the Parisian demi-monde. Less well known perhaps is the intense physical and psychological pain he suffered following a series of childhood accidents that stunted his growth. Lautrec, the début Shadow Mask Theatre production on as part of the Camden Fringe, is a 60-minute drama composed of a series of semi-fictional snapshots from the artist’s life. Written by and starring Fergus Rattigan, the play hones in on the frustration of being slotted into stereotypes that people associate with illness – lack of virility, and lack of desire and lack of threat. Toulouse-Lautrec’s tragic descent into addiction, psychosis and ultimately death at the tender age of 36 may not be the fate of all who suffer similar afflictions in today’s world, but the stereotypes undoubtedly linger on. Making clever use of inter-linguistic humour, the play leans heavily on Rattigan’s co-star, the energetic Marie Drisch, who portrays all the other characters in the various sketches that comprise it. Although the production might have been more thoroughly rehearsed, it offers a timely reflection on the emotional toll of long-term health conditions. Lautrec ran from 15-17 August at The Hen and Chickens Theatre Bar in Islington.