Review: An Ideal Husband (Epicentre Theatre Company)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

epicentre Venue: Zenith Theatre (Chatswood NSW), Jul 18 – 26, 2014
Playwright: Oscar Wilde
Director: Christine Firkin
Cast: Jessica-Belle Keogh, Emily Pollard, Hannah Pembroke, Sandy Velini, Emily McGowan, Kelly Rae Olander, James Belfrage, Benjamin Vickers, Pam Ennor, Andre Cougle

Theatre review
Politics and corruption propel the plot in An Ideal Husband. The concept of a person facing consequences from misdeeds, and the possibility of turning over a new leaf, are also discussed. The analysis of these subjects however, are not the most appealing feature of Oscar Wilde’s work. What we want is his wit. The strength of his work lies in the characters he creates, and more importantly, the way in which they communicate. Director Christine Firkin seeks to enliven much of the humour in Wilde’s text. There is a clear commitment to comedy in this production, and when scenes are effective, they are quite magical. Interpretations of Wilde’s writing rely heavily on performance. A director is not an acting coach, and it is obvious here that Firkin too, banks on the aptitude and intellectual maturity of her cast, to deliver the play’s sophisticated and challenging farce.

Benjamin Vickers’ star sparkles in the production. The role of Viscount Goring demands a balance of frivolity and acumen, which Vickers executes beautifully. He has an assured focus that reveals itself through a performance that is precise and considered, while also feeling unrestrained and alive. The playfulness he brings to the stage is thoroughly charming, and adds a crucial element of dynamism to community theatre that can often be overly serious and staid.

Lady Chiltern is played by Jessica-Belle Keogh, whose interpretations of Wilde’s words are consistently rich and vivid. Keogh is at first sight an excessively youthful Gertrude, but she proves herself to be believable and compelling. The actor does however, have a tendency to use her laughter as a device to improve comic timing when lines are sparse, which can detract from the authenticity of her characterisation. Emily Pollard is a suitably devious Mrs Cheveley. She has a keen sense for comedy, and is skillful at creating stage chemistry. Pollard has the vivacity that her role requires, but her body language can be fidgety at times, which comes across as being slightly lacking in confidence.

Firkin’s direction ensures that the show is tight, and its story is told with clarity. She keeps the performance at an energetic level by creating movement, especially during long passages of conversations. It is not a lavish production of great polish, but it is accomplished on many fronts. Idealism is a value we can all appreciate, but perfection is always elusive. It is the journey that moves us closer to it that counts, especially in making art.

www.epicentretheatre.org.au

18Jul2014

Review: Phaedra (Lies, Lies And Propaganda)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

lieslies Venue: TAP Gallery (Surry Hills NSW), Jul 17 – 26, 2014
Playwright: Euripides (based on Hippolytus)
Director: Michael Dean
Cast: Danielle Baynes, Melissa Brownlow, Sinead Curry, Cheyne Fynn, Richard Hilliar, Katrina Rautenberg, Nathaniel Scotcher, Jennifer White
Image by Sasha Cohen

Theatre review
The art of making theatre requires the consideration of space and time. It needs to set itself apart from literature and recorded media like film and music. The audience’s immersive experience is not parenthetical or supplementary, it is central to the appreciation of a work. Michael Dean’s Phaedra uses space and bodies not only to tell stories, but also to enthrall, delight and fascinate our senses. By extensively exploring the possibilities of holding a captive audience, it does what no other art form can. Along with Catherine Steele’s design and Christopher Page’s lighting, we find ourselves inside a blood-soaked painting that is at once romantic and abhorrent. The four fabulous actors who make up the chorus are relentless in acknowledging our gaze, and the seductive power they wield, pulls us further into a world where tears are shed, blood is let and everyone loses their mind.

Phaedra’s story is about desire, its origins, its moralities, and its effects. She falls in love with her stepson, and all hell breaks loose. Phaedra struggles with her thoughts and emotions, and we examine the meanings of our own relationships with love and sex. The production’s director is part of the action, positioned behind two turntables, underscoring performances with old vinyl records that he distorts and scratches. The soundtrack is often discordant, attempting to place distance between us and the characters. We see Euripides’ universe, but we are also reminded of our realities; the two are pitched playfully against each other.

Danielle Baynes as Phaedra, exemplifies sensuality and beauty. She portrays longing and pain with a quiet authenticity, and executes stage directions elegantly. Baynes’ voice and physicality are disciplined and the actor is eminently watchable, but the show wants more intensity from her. Drama is the order of the day, and there is no limit to how much ostentation an actor can bring to the role. Hipploytus is played by the equally beautiful Richard Hilliar, whose presence almost overwhelms the tiny venue. The feminist subversion of his role gives him much to play with, and his choices are shrewd. His lines are flamboyant and powerful, but also primitive and offensive by today’s conventions. The need to be restrained in delivery is appropriate, and Hilliar finds a good balance, constantly shifting between subtlety and theatricality. Theseus is performed with strong emotional commitment by Katrina Rautenberg. It is interesting that her interpretation of the role does not obviously deviate from its inherent masculinity. There seems a missed opportunity for greater commentary on gender, but Rautenberg playing things straight displays effectively, her impressive focus and precision.

The queer aesthetic extends beyond the casting of Theseus. It informs many of the production’s creative decisions and the result is something that feels original and daring. Dean’s show is memorable and exciting, and adds to our cultural landscape, a voice that is not sufficiently represented. It espouses a different way of doing things, one that is thoughtful, spirited, and full of flair. It is irreverent and mischievous, but also dark and heavy. It is why we need the theatre.

www.liesliesandpropaganda.com

16Jul2014

Review: This Is My Box (Rue de la Rocket)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

Venue: Bondi Pavilion Theatre (Bondi NSW), Jul 16 – 19
Playwrights: Karli Evans, Erin Taylor, Karena Thomas
Director: Erin Taylor
Cast: Karli Evans, Karena Thomas

Theatre review
This Is My Box features two women in very colourful exercise gear exorcising demons. Their costumes do not change, but the actors go through many different characters in this hour long piece. They portray familiar everyday personalities from different walks of life, but they are all unified by their inanities. This is a work about the people we are afraid of becoming. They come from every social class, but are all less than intelligent. Their lives are filled with mundanity and they do not seem to have any mental capacity to escape their respective hells. This is probably a work about all of us, even though it may initially seem to be about “those people”.

The script is superb. It has all the hallmarks of a thoroughly devised work, relying on much more than words, where every moment is made absurd, and with a plot trajectory that is never predictable, yet everything seems to make sense. The narrative is about instincts and emotional reactions, rather than logic and story. Characters and scene changes are distinct, which gives the production a formal grounding, and its theatrical structure. There is a lot of fooling around, but the disciplines that conspire to create this coherent whole are clear to see.

Both performers are compelling, and all their roles are hilarious. Their use of voice, movement and face are exaggerated but appropriately so. It is almost like clown work, except with social commentary. Karli Evans is slightly more proficient with her physicality, while Karena Thomas tickles our funny bone with some very dynamic facial expressions. It is a high energy performance, by women with impressive and confident presences.

Erin Taylor’s direction is sensitive to the strengths of the players. She appears to have a deep understanding of the women’s abilities, and strives to expose all of their best features in these manic 60 minutes. Taylor commits to a specific sense of humour that is probably not of the widest appeal, but the conviction harnessed on stage is absolutely euphoric. The work is critical of many Australian women, but it is never mean spirited. It embodies a kind of sisterhood that is self conscious but generous. It is about girls who do not want to turn into their mothers but are wise enough to realise some inevitabilities.

www.ruedelarocket.com

15Jul2014

Review: It’s Been A While (Smoking Gum Theatre)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

smokinggum Venue: King Street Theatre (Newtown NSW), Jul 16 – 19, 2014
Playwright: Jordy Shea
Director: Lucinda Vitek
Cast: Stephen Bracken, Chris Circosta, Luke Holmes, Zara Stanton, Kathryn Wenborn

Theatre review
It’s Been A While is a story about youth, friendship and sexual awakenings. It centres around the suicide of an 18 year-old, and a group of five friends who come to terms with adulthood and death. Jordy Shea’s script is structurally ambitious, with separate timelines interweaving in a constant state of flashing backwards and forwards. Its frank portrayal of our youth’s interests and concerns is refreshing, and the work provides an important voice to the diversity of our artistic landscape. The production is just over an hour long and although everyone enjoys a succinct piece, Shea’s script needs deeper exploration of its themes and personalities. He sets up interesting premises but they require more thorough excavation for scenes to sizzle. The writing could also benefit with more varied speaking patterns. There is some effort put into individualising characters, but they need to have more distinct voices to create greater colour for the stage.

Performances are earnest and energetic. The cast is green, but it is clear that they put their all into the show. Luke Holmes is a lively Tom. He is a slightly grown up class clown, who is always keen to contribute a sense of lightheartedness. Kathryn Wenborn is effective when her character Maddy becomes introspective, and memorable for her heartfelt delivery of an emotional sequence at the play’s conclusion. Dean is played by Stephen Bracken who has a strong presence and good focus, but as with the entire group, more training and stage experience would be helpful.

The plot’s complexity present a challenge. It is frequently unclear which of the two chronologies is being depicted, and the confusion that transpires is distracting. Scene transitions require further finessing, and design elements while adequate, could be more adventurous. Lucinda Vitek’s direction is tightly paced, but an extended rehearsal period would make the friendships more believable and cast chemistry more exhilarating. The subject of teen suicide is interesting, and probably one that many can relate to. We feel like we know what the characters are going through, which also means that our imaginations are vivid, and our expectations need to be met. It’s Been A While does not hit every note right, but it is a gallant effort that tells a meaningful story.

www.smokinggumtheatre.com

11Jul2014

Review: Lobby Hero (Dudley St Productions)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

lobbyhero Venue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), Jul 8 – 26, 2014
Writer: Kenneth Lonergan
Director: Kevin Jackson
Cast: Tom Oakley, Dorian Nkono, Shari Sebbens, Jeremy Waters
Image by Rupert Reid

Theatre review
Kenneth Lonergan’s Lobby Hero is about morals, honour and lies. The play features two security guards and two police officers, and through the instability of their friend-foe relationships, it deals with human mistakes, telling the truth, and facing consequences. Kevin Jackson’s direction reveals a thorough enjoyment of words and their nuances. His work is almost entirely focused on the cast, ensuring that Lonergan’s writing is explored exhaustively in voice and movement, which results in a story told with precision and impressive detail.

The actors are strong, but in divergent ways. Jackson ensures that their performances are authentic, and gives them the freedom to portray each character to their best abilities. Jeremy Waters as Bill defines the term “show stealing”. His presence is commanding, and his work is wild and completely rambunctious. Waters is incredibly impressive and possibly faultless as the ignorantly immoral cop, and the vibrance he brings to the stage is irresistible. Dorian Nkono is an excellent comic. He plays William with hilarious irony, and delivers many moments of laughter. His timing is flawless, and his creative embellishments with speech and physicality are quite entrancing.

The two Bills are big characters played by flamboyant actors, and they are magnificent. The play however, relies on two other characters to drive home its central message. Jeff and Dawn are key to providing gravity to the work but are unfortunately often eclipsed on this stage. Tom Oakley accurately embodies the aimlessness and innocence of Jeff, but his performance is often thrown off balance by his colleagues. There is a great deal of emotional authenticity to his work, but he sometimes pitches at too subtle a level. Dawn is played by Shari Sebbens whose strengths as a dramatic actor are unquestionably alluring, but they outweigh her comedic talents. Sebben’s interpretation of her character is a truthful one, but she misses opportunities of levity that would endear her further with her audience. More light would create more contrast, so that the weightier portions of her narrative would resonate stronger.

Visual design is kept at a minimum. Costumes add to characterisations, but set and lights are merely functional. Sound design provides some effective cues to entrances, but it is also distracting at times. Some of the music choices are unsuitable, creating unnecessary discord with the action on stage. We hear the story clearly in Lobby Hero, but its moral is not articulated loud enough. More memorable are its actors and their craft. Shows are often about stars, and on this occasion, the show stealers are victorious and they have escaped scot free.

www.tapgallery.org.au

10Jul2014

Review: Book Of Days (New Theatre)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

newtheatre Venue: New Theatre (Newtown NSW), Jul 8 – Aug 9, 2014
Playwright: Lanford Wilson
Director: Elsie Edgerton-Till
Actors: Amelia Cuninghame, Gael Ballantyne, Simon Davey, Kate Fraser, Jeannie Gee, Mark Langham, Brendan Miles, Alex Norton , Alyssan Russell, Geoff Sirmai, Joel Spreadborough, Kyle Walmsley
Photograph © Bob Seary

Theatre review
David Lynch’s Blue Velvet is referenced in the play. Lynch’s film opens with idyllic shots of a country town with smiling firemen and little children crossing the road under the guidance of a lollipop lady. Very soon after, the camera zooms into a decapitated ear, stranded on a field, and we burrow into the dark and sodden world that lurks just beneath the blissful provincial life, complete with menacing bugs and sopping dirt. Lanford Wilson’s Book Of Days is about the beautiful township of Dublin, Missouri, where its residents’ Caucasian appearance are made even whiter by a hundreds shades of beige and khaki (thoughtful costuming by Jacqui Schofield), and everybody lives in states of tranquil ignorance, reveling in the comfort and tradition provided by the local church. Dublin’s peace is disrupted only when a production of George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan comes to their community theatre. Its leading lady experiences an awakening that leads to unprecedented conflict within its community, and true colours emerge.

Elsie Edgerton-Till’s direction of the work is inspired and innovative. Each character is distinctly established, but they function as a harmonious team, and all 12 are individually interesting and memorable. The use of space is instinctive and dynamic. Georgia Hopkins’ set design is minimal, but actors are always cleverly positioned in the background to create subtle tableaux that add energy and dimension to scenes, and to manufacture an elegant aesthetic for the production. The show is entertaining, provocative and intriguing. Edgerton-Till speaks intelligently to her audience, but she has also successfully put together a production that is consistently, and surprisingly, engaging.

The ensemble is formidable. Every role is vivid, and every actor is accomplished. There are a number of moments that would benefit from additional rehearsals, but this is a very polished team, with a feeling that each personality is just right for their part. Simon Davey is a fantastic villain, with evil motivations and a desperate emotional world. His James Bates is a convincing creation, but the actor is careful to prevent any hint of endearment that could arise from his sometimes childlike behaviour. We believe he is horrible, and we wish the worst for him. His mother Sharon is played by Jeannie Gee with charming buoyancy and a painful naiveté. Her performance is lively and amusing, and her sense of humour plays at the dangerous precipice where the divergence between sincerity and irony are not always clear. Ruth Hoch is the Dublin woman who takes on the role of Joan of Arc. Kate Fraser’s portrayal of Ruth is precise and exciting, although her personality shift from encountering Joan could be more pronounced. The role has some complex and abstract scenes, and Fraser shines in those. The clarity at which she conveys the script’s meanings is commendable and delightful.

Book Of Days contains big ideas, but they do not come down on us like a sledgehammer. Its plot is classically structured, and we are swept away, completely captivated by its host of fascinating characters and their narratives. Edgerton-Till resists the temptation to turn the show into an edgy piece of theatrical experimentation, and lets Wilson’s concepts speak for themselves. What happens in Dublin implicates religion, sexism, and parochial hypocrisy, but the play’s politics are detailed gently. The main thing is the story, and it is a hugely satisfying one. All the other important stuff come a little later, but they stick around for a good while.

www.newtheatre.org.au

9Jul2014

Review: Of Monopoly And Women (Brave New Word)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

brandnewword Venue: Exchange Hotel (Balmain NSW), Jul 9 – 24, 2014
Playwright: Pamela Proestos
Director: Sascha Hall
Actors: Ainslie Clouston, Bianca Raess, Victoria Greiner, Mark Taylor
Image by David Hooley

Theatre review
Relationships between siblings are often neglected by storytellers. They seem too mundane for the stage, and are a part of life that many take for granted. Pamela Proestos’ script places focus on a trio of sisters and demonstrates that there is much to be explored. Each woman has distinct qualities, and as a collective, they are complex and fascinating. Their bond is exceptionally tight, and within that closeness, they relate to one another with great humour, as well as unbearable cruelty. This calls to mind a quote from spiritual writer Marjorie Pay Hinckley, “home is where you are loved the most, and act the worst.”

In Of Monopoly And Women, we see the machinations of sibling rivalry in all its glory. In the security of their home, our leading ladies live, eat and breathe together, with a no holds barred attitude. They are always their true selves, allowing Proestos to reveal facets of human nature, good and bad, that are universal and unerringly reflective of our own lived experiences. With brutal honesty, she shows us how we treat the people we love, sometimes with unbelievable impertinence, but always amusing.

Production design is thoughtfully executed although its shoestring budget is evident. Demitra Sealy’s set efficiently creates levels and spaces that assist with scene transitions, and adds visual interest with colour and texture that feel homely while also providing a look that is delightfully theatrical. Lighting by Luke Holmes is sensitively created, turning a challenging venue into an effective performance space that provides fluctuating moods.

All performances are accomplished, and the chemistry between actors are well harnessed by director Sascha Hall. It is crucial that the family ties being portrayed are believable, and the production succeeds on this level. The symbiosis of love and hate is delicately balanced and deeply interesting. There is however, a deficiency in some scenes that require a greater range of emotion and comedy. The script allows for quite extreme quarreling on one hand, and hilarity on the other, but a few of these opportunities are missed. The action is fast paced, but charming lines are sometimes not given enough emphasis for them to work more powerfully. Supporting actor Mark Taylor is memorable for giving the most natural performance in the cast, playing one of the women’s boyfriend. His character is simplest to handle, but it is noteworthy that Taylor’s work is consistently compelling.

This is a production that has its heart in the right place. The team has identified the script’s essence accurately, and they present it well, but the show needs a few more dramatic turns in performance tone to prevent its domestic scenarios from descending into a space of mundanity. Ella, Kate and Zoe are multi-dimensioned and likeable women, with inter-playing dynamics that are thoroughly explored and beautifully written. The play and its themes are enjoyable and easy to identify with, even if it exposes us for being so careless with the people we love the most.

www.bnwtheatre.com.au

6Jul2014

Review: An Unexpected Execution (Factory Space Theatre Company)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

Venue: Star On The Sea Theatre (Manly NSW), Jul 4 – 19, 2014
Writer: Emma Willis (based on Mary Stuart by Schiller)
Director: Roz Riley
Cast: Daniel Csutkai, Deborah Mulhall, Dimity Raftos, Luke Middlebrook, Melissa Kathryn Rose, Michela Carattini, Roberto Zenca, Ross Scott, Samantha Beames

Theatre review
The story of Queen Elizabeth I and her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots is a well-known one. Torn apart by politics and religion, their feud remains a poignant tale about the ties that bind, and the ways they can break. Emma Willis’ script is an update of Schiller’s play from 1800. The language feels contemporarised, but still poetic and nuanced. The narrative is well structured, and detailed. The complex sequence of events and relationships are relayed to dramatic effect, but it works also as a history lesson for those might be unfamiliar with the saga.

The show is put together with enthusiasm, but the material is challenging. The team is not an experienced one, and the production does not produce enough nuance or creativity for their show to captivate. Queen Mary is played by Michela Carattini who looks half the age of her character. Carattini provides delightful balletic lines with her physicality, but lacks the maturity required for portraying such dire and ominous circumstances. Dimity Raftos is a regal Queen Elizabeth, and we feel her frustration about the state of affairs, but the range of emotions depicted needs to be expanded for the Queen’s perspective to hit home. Notable supporting players include Samantha Beames who demonstrates solid authenticity as Hanna, and Daniel Csutkai who stands out with playful flamboyance, but he could benefit from a little restraint.

The tale is dramatic, but the show’s direction is simple and direct. In the hands of stronger members of the cast, we follow the plot adequately, but scenes become confusing when performances falter. Not all who love the theatre receives opportunities for formal training, but they should not be discouraged from participation. The selection of text is crucial, and on this occasion, the discrepancy between the group’s ability and the script’s demands is significant. Every moment on stage is a learning experience, and there is no doubt that these thespian talents will continue to flourish.

www.craftwaresolutions.com.au

4Jul2014

Review: La Ronde (Enigma)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

enigma Venue: Coronation Hall (Newtown NSW), Jul 2 – 12, 2014
Writer: Arthur Schnitzler
Director: Steven Hopley
Cast: Amy Scott-Smith, Peter Jamieson, Alison Lee Rubie, Jasper Garner Gore, Emily Elise, Leigh Scully, Emilia Stubbs Grigoriou, Brendon Taylor, Amanda Maple-Brown, Jaymie Knight

Theatre review
Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde was written over a hundred years ago. It is mainly about sex, but it is also about hypocrisy, deception and promiscuity. Not everything in the play has stood the test of time, which is an excellent signifier that the sexual revolution had successfully propelled civilisation forward. Schnitzler’s writing has an aura of scandal and taboo about the sex that happens in every scene, but this feels antiquated and childish by today’s standards. Fortunately, the text contains plenty more to explore that is timeless and universal.

Steven Hopley’s direction is straightforward, but the decision to stage the work, theatre-in-the-round, is a highlight. The intimacy he creates is fascinating. We are a fly on the wall, privy to the secret lives and exposed bodies of these comedic fornicators. We only see what happens before and after sex acts, of course, but Hopley manages to light up enough libidinal fire between actors so that we experience something quite unusual. It is certainly not everyday that we feel tension and energy of this nature without being a direct participant. The most entertaining feature of the show however, is its comedy. Hopley identifies the play’s irony well, but how effectively the laughs are delivered, depends largely on the proficiency of the players, which varies wildly on this stage. The director’s approach is too gentle. These characters inhabit a bawdy world, but the production is polite. Even though we do see some skin, and people kiss a lot, there is never a sense of transgression, which one would argue is necessary for dealing with taboo subjects.

With a flamboyance that is indulgent and delicious, Amanda Maple-Brown steals the show as The Actress. She has pitched her performance at just the right tone for the material, and the laughter she inspires is quite euphoric. The dramatic transformation of personality in two short scenes cannot be more extreme, but Maple-Brown is entirely convincing. Her performance is intelligent and brave, and the chemistry she creates with both her bedfellows is as madcap as it is sizzling. Also memorable is Emilia Stubbs Grigoriou as The Sweet Girl. The actor has marvelous presence, and delivers a surprisingly truthful performance. She can appear over earnest at times, which can obscure some funny lines, but the conflicting qualities of innocence and lust that define her character are balanced well. Brendon Taylor as The Writer is dynamic and precise. It is good to see him enjoy a joke about Belvoir as much as we do. Leigh Scully is a little coy in his portrayal of The Husband, but the energy he brings to the stage is valuable. His animated physicality provides a theatricality to a show that is sometimes oddly tranquil.

La Ronde does not comment on the implications of promiscuity. It merely puts it on display. We observe deception at every turn, but the production is not antagonistic towards any of its characters. The hypocrisy we recognise is infuriating, but that emotion is not imposed upon us. There are many ingredients that could be added to make the show a spicier experience, but what it serves up is clearly hot enough.

www.facebook.com/…

3Jul2014

Review: Hedda Gabler (Belvoir St Theatre)

Posted in Theatre by Suzy Wrong

belvoir

Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Jun 28 – Aug 3, 2014
Playwright: Adena Jacobs (from Henrik Ibsen)
Director: Adena Jacobs
Cast: Branden Christine, Lynette Curran, Ash Flanders, Marcus Graham, Anna Houston, Oscar Redding, Tim Walter
Images by Ellis Parrinder

Theatre review (originally published at auditoriummag.com)
Not every audience member would know what Ibsen’s story is about, but virtually everyone who enters the Belvoir Street venue would be aware, even before the show commences, that the main woman on this occasion, is played by a leading man . Gender subversion remains controversial in the twenty-first century. We all invest on a deeply personal level, gendered concepts that are applied to our daily lives, both consciously and unconsciously. Adena Jacobs’ Hedda Gabler is strange. Like the unusual casting decision, Jacobs’ work resists conventions, expectations and sometimes, comprehension. It is easy to be dismissive of Jacobs’ artistic decisions when they are unexplained and mystifying, but to paraphrase the art critic Robert Hughes, “no painting that is of any quality can be easy to understand because the value of a painting is its ability to expand one’s experience, and so if it were easy to understand, then it would fall within what you already knew.”

Within the landscape of Australian theatre, Jacobs’ creation is a valuable one that deals with issues of feminism, transgenderism, racism, and social aspirations. Before the show begins, a television set on stage plays what looks to be a telenovela. We see a wedding taking place in the soap opera, as well as familiar archetypes arguing and displaying exaggerated emotion. The stories it tells have been told thousands of times before, with unchanging dramatic arcs and predictable conclusions. Jacobs’ work reinvents dynamics and mechanisms, using a 120-year-old text as starting point. What happens to Ibsen’s characters do not change, but how they are presented is drastically overhauled. The production bears a severe and muted tone, almost rejecting any empathy from its audience. We are encouraged to observe, but feelings are sacrificed for contemplation. We react in a way that is diametrically opposed to the experience of watching bad television. Impotent passivity becomes political action.

In an environment of “strangeness”, the viewer’s mind goes into overdrive, persistently questioning artistic choices, and ceases to be a receptacle for easy entertainment. The director’s hand is prominent. Much as we ponder the enigma of Hedda, we never stop wondering what Jacobs wishes to say. Her message is not a straightforward one, which results in a play memorable for its depth and complexity, although there is no question that many would find her approach daunting. Big issues cannot be reduced into easily digestible morsels if their essence are to be retained, but battles must be chosen wisely, and some might consider the aggressively alienating nature of Jacobs’ Hedda Gabler to be self-defeating. The conviction of her vision however, is undeniable, and the idiosyncratic style evident in this staging demonstrates an originality that must not be buried.

Dayna Morrissey’s set design provides an appropriately sterile beauty to Hedda’s world. It conveys luxurious decadence, but also a distant coolness that is reflective of her disconnection from that world. Action is kept away from the audience. We want a better understanding of the characters but they are always around the house or in the car, both located far upstage, claustrophobic and inaccessible. These people do not connect with each other, and it follows that we too are estranged. Danny Pettingill’s lights are glamorous but rarely warm. It is a cruel and chilly kind of beauty that is achieved, one that speaks volumes about Hedda’s depressive state. Costumes by David Fleischer are oddly naturalistic, especially on the male characters. Thought is put into exposing Hedda’s body rather than concealing it, which is remarkably intriguing, but its aesthetics seem an uncomfortable match against the sophistication created by set and lights.

Performances in the piece vary subtly in style and tone between actors. Each appears almost to be starring in individual shows, thereby enhancing the quality of isolation in each character. Marcus Graham is an exuberant Judge Brack. Complete with toothy grin and a Hollywood tan, Graham plays up the role’s artifice and disingenuity with flair. Brack’s falseness is cunning and understated, but also doubtless. Eilert Lovborg is played with great conviction and vigour by the effortlessly magnetic Oscar Redding. His portrayal is the most dramatic of the group, leaving a strong impression with the only truthful outpouring of emotion in the production.

Ash Flanders as Hedda Gabler is highly provocative, but does not embody his character with great authenticity. His work is quite literally a drag act, where a performer pretends to be singing, dancing or acting, while pretending also to be “the opposite sex”. His work seems to emulate legendary film actors like Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford, which is an interesting fit for a production that often takes stylistic cues from classic cinema. Hedda’s famed mysteriousness suits Flanders’ method, as he hides more than is revealed, but his presence lacks the allure and power of those movie stars who were able to achieve a great deal while appearing to be doing very little. Flanders is seen half naked for most of the duration, which prevents us from forgetting the contentious dimension of gender being discussed. Having a man play an Ibsen woman is a novelty at this particular point in time, but it also makes a poignant statement. Hedda is a tragic heroine created by a man, with her victimisation and subsequent demise inflicted by her playwright. The surest way for a feminist interpretation of the text is either to reconstruct it radically, or simply not to have a woman play the part at all. Maybe this is a role that makes better sense when taken on by a man.

Branden Christine is the only actor not of Caucasian appearance. She plays Berta, the maid who barely speaks but exudes a silent but impactful tension. The colour of her skin, along with the stark degraded social position she occupies is challenging, if not purposefully antagonising. The production makes several powerful statements, and the one about ethnic discrimination is unintended by Ibsen, but is central to this staging.

This is a work about freedom, and its opposite. It exposes the way people come under each other’s control, and depicts the struggle for an idealistic life in the most pessimistic manner. There is however, more than a glimmer of hope that exists in the form of the production’s transgressions. Revolution happens when oppressive structures are dismantled. Jacobs’ efforts at inventing a new theatrical language, and her interpretation of the classic text, propels theatre towards something far greater than recreation. It improves culture and political discourse. Points of comfort in our shared notions of art are the canary in a coal mine, which this production of Hedda Gabler locates and unleashes upon them, ruthless waves of disruption.

www.belvoir.com.au