From the world of Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, and Jesse James come two new, fresh-faced gunslingers: Cody and Beau. Difference being, Cody and Beau’s pistols are toys. And their O.K. Corral? The spelling bee of Gonzales, Texas.
Driven by comic strips, urban (or rural?) legends, and unrequited love, the teenage boys go in search of their manifest destiny. However, tales of the Gold Rush, fighting ‘Injuns’, and romanticised cowboys leave them grossly misinformed of the dangers of the Great Plains.
The creators of Cody and Beau, university students Dylan Kaeuper and Will Grice, have produced a punching commentary on toxic masculinity which they should be proud of. The protagonists’ juvenile understanding of how to become “kings of the west” leaves them in unforeseen peril. Kaeuper and Grice do well to show Cody and Beau’s innocent, tender hearts crumbling against the cruel, unrelenting nature of the American west.
As a visual marker of the boys’ youth and naivety, the toy figurines are effective. Though an obvious metaphor, they do provide a poignant ending. Grice portrays Beau with a childish energy and excitement – perhaps too much at points – which pushes Kaeuper’s Cody into a protective role. The bickering ensuing from this dynamic is endearing and relatable, and the southern drawl surprisingly convincing of 1889 Texas.
With their mesmerisingly synchronised physical comedy, Kaeuper and Grice utilised every corner of the stage. Different scenes, and even different spaces of consciousness, were cleverly mapped out despite a wooden box being the only item on stage. In some respects, this meant the production lacked pizzaz; however, this did work to show how little the boys had. The pacing of the script could benefit from some refinement, currently lurching between dialogue so quick it was difficult to decipher, and several minutes of nothing but prolonged panting. That said, this rough-and-readiness was arguably part of the play’s western charm.
Cody and Beau: A Wild West Story has poeticism and philosophical musings hidden behind its rootin’ and tootin’ silliness. If only there were more of this! All in all, Cody and Beau, though not flawless, is a remarkable accomplishment for Kaeuper and Grice.
Cody and Beau: A Wild West Story is running until 16 August at theSpace @ Niddry Street.
Buy tickets here.
Image courtesy of theSpaceUK, provided to The Student as press material.