Martin Sherman, who turns 80 this year, has a long list of theatre and movie writing credits but is still best remembered for
Bent - which itself has its 40th anniversary this year - a play that reminded people of the oft-forgotten persecution of LGBT people by the Nazis. Having long wanted to write a more general "gay history" play he finally struck on the way to do it by following 13 years of a relationship with a 35-year age gap, in
Gently Down the Stream. And "gently" is the right word for a play that covers some of the same ground, and has some of the same concerns as,
The Inheritance, but in a much more intimate way. The concerns are those of Beau (Jonathan Hyde,) originally from New Orleans but, having travelled the world accompanying torch song singers on the piano, now long since settled in London where he works as a lounge pianist in a restaurant.
