This is a homage, dusted with nostalgia.
Written by Jack Kearney, Born on a Thursday is set in the late 90’s in western Sydney, and tells the story of single mum Ingrid. Her son, Isaac, has been left mentally incapacitated by a rugby league injury. Her daughter, April, has unexpectedly returned home after a long period of silent absence.
The pace is gentle, akin to a glacier, whose majestic, barely perceptible movement is only apparent through the occasional violent smashing of things.
It’s also a story built from the withholding of information. Why has April come home now? What actually happened to Isaac? Who was their father? Perhaps this builds suspense; perhaps it reflects the laconic, emotional reticence of the working class. Despite the piece’s length, a lot of these questions ultimately aren’t clearly answered, or when they are, these answers no longer really seem to matter. We’ve moved on, and are witnessing the power of resilience and the wondrous birth of hope. Despite the suggestion of sentimentality that warmly infuses the piece, it’s this sense of moving on that grants it verisimilitude. Not that the characters deliberately or consciously move on, not that we’re being glibly instructed we should leave the past behind – rather we’re being reminded that Life, whatever it is, is something that runs in only one direction.
Director Lucy Clements elicits excellent performances from her cast. As April, Sofia Nolan portrays an eminently watchable tension between fragility and strength. As Isaac, Owen Hasluck captures frustrated bewilderment sparring with youthful energy. James Lugton, as the loyal neighbour Howard, gives us a wonderful portrait of gentle, patient persistence. Deborah Galanos, as the wine guzzling Estelle, is hilarious: brash, assertive, yet delightfully changeable. As Ingrid, Sharon Millerchip moves fascinatingly from a no-nonsense coldness to the surprise of joy, the reward for tenacity and its unexpected twin, hope.
Thursday’s child may have far to go, but distance isn’t everything.
Paul Gilchrist
Born on a Thursday by Jack Kearney
presented by New Ghosts Theatre Company and Old Fitz Theatre,
at the Old Fitz until 14 Dec
Image by Phil Erbacher
Theatre Red 
I thought Thursdays child was full of woe?
Hey Debbie, There must be variations of the poem. I’ve always known it as “Wednesday’s child is full of woe. Thursday’s child has far to go….”
But thanks for reading!