Andrew Bovell’s When the Rain Stops Falling is a beautiful play.
Inspiring in its reach, it joins in story characters from across three generations and two continents. It’s a symphony to human connection. It’s about connections we can’t avoid and so must keep in good repair. It’s about children running from parents, parents running from children, and the futility of running.
Julie Baz’s production wonderfully brings to life the joy and sorrow of these human connections. Her cast does a magnificent job. Alex Nicholas and Christina Falsone’s scenes are brilliant. Both Rebecca Scott and Erin McMullen brought me to tears more than once.
It’s about now that I always point out I don’t write reviews.
Reviews are our revenge on theatre. (And not just when we dislike it; after all, even 5 STARs is rather parsimonious, considering how many stars there actually are.) In answer to the beautiful multiplicity of theatre, reviews offer a stern monotone. Which is why no-one takes them too seriously. Which is why I don’t write them. (They’re like trying to catch starlight in a jar.)
We need to find other ways to respond to art other than mere evaluation. And I suspect the best responses won’t be written ones at all.
I suspect the best response to When the Rain Stops Falling is to be grateful that art can offer such powerful reminders – and then to act upon it.
Because we’re all in this together.
Veronica Kaye
When the Rain Stops Falling
til 17 Nov, Sydney Independent Theatre Company
Theatre Red 
Leave a Reply