Venue: SBW Stables Theatre (Darlinghurst NSW), Jul 7 – Aug 19, 2023
Writer: Suzie Miller
Director: Andrea James
Cast: Lucia Mastrantone, Anthony Taufa, Anthony Yangoyan
Images by Clare Hawley
Theatre review
In Suzie Miller’s Jailbaby, 18-year-old AJ serves two years for a minor offence, in a prison with the hardest of criminals. Another young man of similar age, but from a more affluent background, Seth too is breaking the law, but is kept shielded from authorities. It is a story about class in contemporary Australia, and about how we foster a culture of men behaving badly. The stakes are unquestionably high in Miller’s play, but a lack of tension and drama, makes the experience feel somewhat clinical and uninvolving. It is admirable that individuals are not singled out for blame, in an examination of our social ills, but for a theatrical piece, our emotions are unfortunately kept too much at bay.
Direction by Andrea James attempts to manufacture frisson, with careful calibrations of atmosphere, along with detailed supervision of performances. Isabel Hudson creates a marvellous set design that allows for depictions of jail visitations while also being effectively evocative of interrogation rooms. Lights by Verity Hampson are thoughtfully rendered to guide us through the numerous spatial transformations taking place in a show comprising short and sharp scenes. Music and sound design by Phil Downing, helps to deliver sensorial richness, almost making up for deficiencies in the narrative.
Actor Anthony Yangoyan takes on both AJ and Seth, excellent at locating nuance for each, and highly impressive in making the two personalities, distinct and convincing. Yangoyan’s concentration and focus are absolutely remarkable, with a presence that keeps us on his side, even as the characters turn alienating. Lucia Mastrantone and Anthony Taufa demonstrate great versatility, in a wide range of roles, all of which prove compelling and energetic. The quality of collaboration in the trio is gratifying to observe, in a production that boasts accomplished work from all disciplines.
In Jailbaby we can deduce that our system of incarceration is an archaic one, that seems never to come under sufficient scrutiny. It feels an old solution to problems that persist, one that should always be modified for improvements, yet seems completely inert, from one generation to the next. Even with unremitting advancements in medical and scientific fields, we remain hesitant to replace punishment with prevention and treatment, such is the extent of the entrenched nature of our systems.
Suzy Goes See 