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Peter Pan

13 Jan

Children need adults. And adults need children.

In a full life, reason must co-exist with imagination, knowledge with innocence, security with surprise.

This is a very quotable play. In one of my favourite lines, Peter boasts “To die would be an awfully big adventure.”

Peter Pan is a rich myth, but it’s not a universal one. (This is no criticism; the desire for universals is an attempt to contain Life, which was far from Barrie’s purpose.)

The nineteenth century’s interest in childhood coincided with the decreased infant mortality rate. Suddenly, childhood as such could be valued. No longer was it merely a dangerous period, to be gotten through as quickly as possible.

And childhood became an effective contrast to adulthood.  Just as the Industrial Revolution (eventually) decreased infant mortality, it increased the division of labour. Work, and hence adult life, came to appear dreadfully dissatisfying. Peter, asked whether he ever wants to grow up, replies no; he doesn’t want to work in an office.

This tension between childhood and adulthood is a defining aspect of our culture. It has not been so in every culture. It is the result of our privilege.

Many contemporary stories, particularly Hollywood comedies, are the stories of men who refuse to grow up. But too often these stories imply that growing up means only fulfilling expectations and becoming conventional.

Barrie’s story, however, gives a more persuasive vision of maturity. For him, growing up is caring and giving. He adores childhood imagination and innocence, but accepts they are not enough. We rightly adore children, but we cannot respect them.

I don’t want to give the impression this Belvoir production is dark just because it has depth. Far from it. It’s joyous. Tommy Murphy’s adaptation works wonderfully for both adults and children. Ralph Myer’s cast is absolutely terrific. Robert Cousins’ set is versatile and fun.

I began by suggesting this is a very quotable play. Barrie wrote Peter Pan as both play and novel. In this adaptation, Murphy takes a line from the novel and makes it the final line of the performance. Spoken by the mature Wendy, it is one of the most powerful, and shocking, in contemporary theatre.

Veronica Kaye

Peter Pan

at Belvoir til 10 Feb

http://belvoir.com.au/productions/peter-pan/

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The Pitchfork Disney

6 Dec

Children dream of adulthood and adults dream of childhood. Which goes a long way to explaining the popularity of children.

In Philip Ridley’s very funny, very sophisticated black comedy, two adult siblings remain as children. They have allowed themselves to become frozen by fear.

“Don’t you realize how easily horrible things can happen?” warns Haley, played with a delightful mania by Jessi LeBrocq.

It’s sometimes suggested that love is the opposite of fear. She is too afraid to love, we say.

But what about our love of fear?

Cosmo Disney, played with a riveting blend of charisma and disdain by David Malloy, states the issue plainly: “We all need our daily dose of disgust”.

The play has some astounding monologues and the cast handle them magnificently. Brett Johnson, as the gentle Presley, both fascinated and repulsed by his recurring nightmare, is particularly engaging.

Recurring motifs slide in and out of Ridley’s language, and the effect is mesmerizing.  One motif, that of a snake, slithers through the play, becoming more ominous each time it raises its malevolent head. It’s a potent symbol of both danger and temptation.

Director Rachel Chant’s production of this fine play is amusing and thought provoking.

To what degree are we drawn to fear? To what degree is it our adversary?

If fear is our foe, it pays to know our enemy. And that means, in our privileged lives, acknowledging he’s more often seducer than soldier.

Veronica Kaye

(Apologies to Philip Ridley for any misquotes!)

The Pitchfork Disney

Sidetrack Theatre until Dec 9

http://www.sidetrack.com.au/

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Into the Mirror

25 Nov

Each of us is in the process of becoming.

And that’s glorious.

And frightening.

So we attempt to define ourselves; to have something, in all the flux, to hold on to.

But, in our definitions, we tend to look backwards. We base who we are on who we’ve been.

And we were born male or female. In all the confusion of life, that’s one certainty. To be held tight.

Photo by Pat Carter

But, of course, it’s not. We are all both woman and man. In each of us is all of us.

Life is the tussle between certainty and potential, between security and possibility. Yesterday’s claims fight Tomorrow’s hopes, forever in the battlefield of Today.

Into the Mirror tells the story of a woman transitioning to a man. Shelly Wall’s script is thought provoking and sensitively explores this courageous choice.

Wall directs, drawing strong work from her cast. Penny Day as Kendall in the process of transitioning captures a fragile confidence. Helen Stuart and Amber Robinson give beautifully nuanced performances.

In this tale it is Kendall’s daughter who struggles most with her mother’s choice. Why won’t people just stay in the boxes we put them in? Oh, they will. One day. And we’ll desperately wish it otherwise. For only the living are maddeningly irrepressible.

This production is a beautiful plea for acceptance. For a truly open society, it’s theatre we need to have.

Veronica Kaye

Into the Mirror

King Street Theatre until 16 Dec

http://www.kingstreettheatre.com.au/

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The Venetian Twins

17 Nov

Ah, colour and movement! Give it to the groundlings. Provide it for the plebs. Combine it with a scrap of bread, and it’s enough circus to keep the masses content.

And what’s so bad about that? Does joy have logic? Does delight need depth? Does fun require an arc? The Venetian Twins is joyous, delightful and fabulous fun! It’s great to see a play that’s seriously that – ‘play’ful.

And now I get serious. (Oh, Veronica, you can be such a bore. Admittedly, you never rain on a parade, but must you always over think them?)

Mistaken identity is a common old dramatic trope. Because they saw far fewer stories than us, earlier audiences were quite thrilled at the concept of representation of identity. (It’s worth remembering that some cultures are uncertain as to whether we can do it at all. Or whether we should. There have been times and places where drama has been entirely banned. If you can’t see why, you haven’t seen it done well.)

But we’ve become soaked in it. We believe it, which is just another way of saying we no longer think about it.

But it has been newish, a novelty, and so it was played with. Having just moved beyond a theatre dominated by the stock types who inhabit commedia and morality, the idea of the unique individual had not become fixed. It was the catalyst to much speculation. (And Nick Enright and Terence Clarke’s take on the original play by Carlo Goldoni retains this potential to induce wonder.)

Mistaken identity is also (clearly) a great opportunity for laughs. Jay James-Moody as the twin brothers Tonino and Zanetto gives a brilliant comic tour-de-force.  Director Mackenzie Steele’s production bubbles over with laughter and song. His whole cast is superb and the evening is a real treat for both the eyes and ears.

But laughter derived from mistaken identity can, in its own madcap way, make us question identity altogether. How different are we really? How different do we want to be? Is there really a ‘real me’ that exists outside and apart from the wild confusion of life?

Mistaken identity in theatre is the source of much comedy. In real life, it’s the source of much misery. Too often we allow our invented idea of ourselves to get in the way of genuine connections with others.

But how can we transcend this obsession with the imagined ‘me’?

Seriously playful theatre might do the trick.

Veronica Kaye

The Venetian Twins 

By Nick Enright and Terence Clarke

New Theatre til 15 Dec

http://www.newtheatre.org.au/

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Great Expectations

12 Nov

Dickens was one of the great critics of nineteenth century capitalism.

But he goes in and out of fashion. For some, his characterization is too broad, his plots too neat, and his passions too sentimental. But I pray that his message – and, yes, like any writer worth their salt, he had one – never goes out of fashion.

Loudly and clearly, Dickens said cruelty was wrong. If that seems self evident to us, we have writers like him to thank.

In Great Expectations, Dickens explored one of the more subtle forms of cruelty that capitalism engenders. Capitalism broke down many of the old class structures. In itself, this was a good thing. But its dark side was that it gave rise to a new contempt for those at the bottom of the social pyramid. If society is freer then the lower orders have only themselves to blame for their misfortune.

In a wonderful piece of irony the main character, Pip, through no effort of his own, finds himself the heir to a fortune. And it’s through the lens of his great expectations that he then views his friends and family. His embarrassment at his step father Jo, the village blacksmith and the most gentle and caring of men, provides some of the most painful pages in English literature.

Nick Ormerod and Declan Donnellan’s stage adaption of the novel captures the power of the original.

And this production by bAKEHOUSE Theatre is fast paced, funny and very moving. Director John Harrison marshals a terrific cast and brings this magnificent story to life.

At uni, I was made to read Great Expectations twice. At 19 I was left cold. At 22 I thought it the funniest book I’d ever read, and one of the saddest.

This production is utterly accessible and a great introduction to a literary giant who saw further than many of his contemporaries.

May we all be blessed with his vision.

Veronica Kaye

Great Expectations

ATYP til 17 Nov

http://www.atyp.com.au/under-the-wharf/productions/great-expectations

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Sidekicks

4 Nov

Words. I like ‘em.

And writer Stephen Vagg uses them gloriously.

Built on the conceit that the sidekick phenomena found in rom-coms is often repeated in real life, Vagg’s Sidekicks is a very funny, very engaging piece of theatre.

Director Louise Alston’s simple production wisely allows the language to do its magic. And actors Emily Rose Brennan and Dan Ilic are superb; their understated delivery is a real delight.

In the movies, the sidekicks often speak more intelligently and imaginatively than the heroines and heroes

Is this true in life?

Is language the opposite of action?

There’s certainly an enormous prejudice in our culture towards this belief. ‘Actions speak louder than words.’

But volume isn’t everything. Give me subtlety any time. Through it we’ll build a richer world.

The play suggests we should stop accepting the role of sidekicks. We should let go of our self doubts and live an authentic fully-engaged life.

I think it’s a great tragedy to believe that, somehow, we’re doing good when we relegate ourselves to second place. We fool ourselves we’re being humble, when we’re just being irresponsible.

The world will be made with us, or without us.

So, all you fast talking deep thinking sidekicks, step forward!

Veronica Kaye

Sidekicks 

Old 505 Theatre til 18 November

http://venue505.com/theatre

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When the Rain Stops Falling

1 Nov

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

http://www.sitco.net.au/

Savage in Limbo

25 Oct

Firstly, a story.

I used to live with a cop. He was a good man, but he had his personal demons.

One Tuesday morning he came home from a night shift more quiet than usual. I asked him how the shift had been. He’d driven around in a patrol car with his partner. At about 1 am they’d got a pizza. At 3 at a late night servo they’d got Slurpees. At 4 they got a call to a house where a teenage boy had hanged himself.

He’d left a note blaming dad.

‘And what was I doing?’ my flat mate said. ‘Just driving around!’

Then, for a while, he said nothing.

‘If I’d been there,’ he said, ‘I know what I would’ve said: Things change. I know shit all about your dad. Maybe he is the biggest dickhead in the world, I don’t know. But things change. I’m not saying him. I’m saying you.’

For 20 years I’ve told this story to anyone who’ll listen.

I don’t write reviews. I write about what plays make me think and feel.

Savage in Limbo by John Patrick Shanley is about our desire to change. It’s also about our desire to be known. It’s about how these two desires are mutually exclusive.

From this tension, Shanley has created a very funny, very moving play.

And director Stuart Maunder elicits performances of extraordinary energy from his superb cast.

People don’t change. That’s what you hear.

Don’t believe it.

For even if it was true, who of us would be in the position to know it? How much do we actually know of anyone’s life? And who can know what tomorrow holds?

We say people don’t change because it’s simpler. Sadder, but simpler.

The titular character, Denise Savage, played brilliantly by Katherine Beck, has a cracker of a speech about what she calls ‘dead issues’. Everybody’s too damn smart, she complains. No one talks about things, she says, because they already know everything.

But we don’t.

And we need to be reminded that’s a blessing.

Veronica Kaye

Savage in Limbo

TAP Gallery til Nov 3

http://www.tapgallery.org.au/2012/09/savage-in-limbo-by-john-patrick-shanley-oct-16th-nov-3rd/

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The Knowledge

15 Oct

School can be a pretty horrible place. And we condemn our kids to 13 years of it. You get less for murder.

The Knowledge by John Donnelly presents a very troubled school. Obviously, the play is not set in Australia. (My teacher friends will recognize my irony. It’s the mother tongue of all who wish to serve but feel constrained by an institution whose purpose is allegedly the same.)

It’s about 140 years since most developed countries introduced universal schooling. One reputed motivation was to remove kids from the misery of the factories. But, being so concerned with the welfare of children, clearly efforts were made to retain some continuity.

With humour and passion Rebecca Martin’s production superbly captures all the flaws of the system. Her extraordinary cast brings to life the struggles of not just one lost generation but three.

For the power of this play is that it reminds us that we don’t actually know what to teach our kids. What exactly is the wisdom we want to pass on?

Literacy and numeracy?

These are beautiful gifts, but without more they easily diminish into mere access to the gutter press and the desire to take out loans.

What should we pass on? It’s a real question.

And schools aren’t equipped to answer it. Why should they be? They’re not – despite some painful similarities – factories, driven by the power of specialization of labour.

The teachers in this play don’t know the answer. That’s its strength. (I’m not espousing the idea that plays raise questions rather than answer them. I think plays very often answer a whole raft of questions; it’s the source of their textual integrity.)

Here the answer is plain: it’s not up to teachers. If we insist on institutionalizing education it’s up to all of us.

The Knowledge is an engaging night of theatre. And like all good theatre, it leaves us with homework.

Veronica Kaye

The Knowledge

New Theatre til 3 Nov

http://www.newtheatre.org.au/

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This is Baby Doll, and Jesus

11 Oct

I was going to write about Factotum Theatre’s Jesus, but only caught the final performance of the run, and was then packed in a suitcase (like a sock puppet) and was whisked off to the Melbourne Fringe.

Charles Mee’s script is sourced from court reports and other records of human misery. It’s a catalogue of  troubled human behavior, from the unusual to the downright horrible.

At one moment, when a character confesses to incest with his daughter, the woman next to me in the audience said, quite loudly, “Gosh.”

I felt a more appropriate response would’ve been “Jesus Fucking Christ!”

Which is one obvious explanation for the title of the play.

Director Liz Arday employs a beautiful simplicity in her staging. In TAP Gallery’s white box theatre, she allows her tremendous cast to tell with an uncluttered honesty their confronting tales. Her directorial decisions, and the actors understated performances, honour the text, and honour the people it presents. It’s deeply moving theatre.

The play asks “Are we our actions?”

It speaks of forgiveness – not to excuse wrong doing, but to see a way forward. And the end of the play is extraordinarily uplifting.

There is, I know, a duality here.

We must be responsible for our actions. We cannot be reduced to them.

And both of these ideas must be held simultaneously, and seriously.

This is the sort of thing theatre can do so well – present multiple viewpoints, in conflict and in coexistence. And Arday and her team have made this miracle happen.

The second reason I suspect this play is entitled Jesus – despite not being what most of us label ‘religious’ – is that the pre-institutionalized carpenter of Nazareth is a spokesperson for forgiveness, for the miracle I have referred to.

I saw the last show of this short run. There’s talk of a remount.

I was deeply affected by Jesus the first time.

I await the Second Coming.

Currently, Factotum Theatre is presenting This is Baby Doll in TAP’s black box theatre.

It’s a script created by Arday from the Tennessee Williams’ play 27 Wagons of Cotton and Elia Kazan’s movie Baby Doll. The marketing claims Arday has “stolen” it, which is indicative of an audacity that shines through this entire production.

Once again, simplicity rules, and rightfully. On a stage lit by a single (though sometimes swinging) globe, a world of passion and deceit is powerfully evoked.

Arday elicits strong performances from her cast, especially Emily Sheehan as Baby Doll. Sheehan’s Baby is a superb portrayal of naïvety.

Baby has been kept a child. She’s a mere pawn in the conflict between the men.

Does this mean the piece is dated?

You meet people who think the gender revolution is over, or very nearly over.

It is not.

It never will be. No revolution is. Every generation makes the world. The task will never be complete.

And that is both a terrible and wonderous thing.

Veronica Kaye

This is Baby Doll

TAP Gallery until Oct 13

http://www.tapgallery.org.au/2012/09/this-is-baby-doll-stolen-from-tennessee-williams-and-elia-kazan-october-4-13preview-oct-3830pmsat-5pm/

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