"Away", Co-production with Sydney Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre, Merlyn Theatre, Wednesday May 17th 2017
"Away", Co-production with The Sydney Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre, Merlyn Theatre, Wednesday May 17th 2017
For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights. Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases. I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.
Design by Dale Ferguson is brilliant. I had to draw about six images when I got home from the theatre to savour his designs. Here is a summary of what I experienced: Arriving to take our seats, the stage is an open wooden floor with some exposed wooden poles, There is a cutaway that looks like a coffin, that later becomes a walkway and entrance. There is a black screen hanging down stage that creates the effect of a letter-box television screen. The function of this black screen hides one of its functions. I noticed some coils or springs above the wooden beams and did not take much notice as were waiting for the show to begin. Later, these coils or springs or ropes would create an iconic moment in the play.
The setting is vast and emphasises the physically distance from each character. At times it reminded me of the original staging of "The Light In The Piazza" at New York's Lincoln Centre's Vivian Beaumont Theater.
A wardrobe is used on multiple occasions for three different scenes. This wardrobe is also stripped to become a frame and a doorway. This wardrobe is reminiscent of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" as it is a portal to our inner emotions and thoughts.
Dale Ferguson allows the cast to create a small stage that pays homage to the Hamlet episode from "Gilligan's Island". He has designed a temporary stage that is made of drums, poles, suitcases and curtains. Not only does this image fit with the "Gilligan's Island" Shakespeare episode but also to "The Tempest" as this portable stage creates a ship wreck and other island images.
The most magical moment is the transformation scene where the set is lifted upward by pulleys or ropes or springs. Underneath the wooden stage is a white canvas wall, white floor and the open doorway that looks like a coffin. This doorway is black and was the open cutaway walkway before the transformation. When light pours through this doorway it sheds hope for the future. We are seeing life from a different perspective. This is pure magical design.
The donkey images are Shakespearean from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" which opens "Away". These donkey images appear throughout "Away" in a dreamlike ethereal way.
Dale Ferguson captured the late 1960's with the gold curtain that paid homage to "Laugh In". The costumes included the daggy swimwear of the period, which got the requisite laugh.
Dale Ferguson's head will be exploding with my superlatives. His design shows us so many aspects of life as it replicates the iceberg theory: where all of the effort or work is unseen. Many secrets and emotions are hidden under the surface and suppressed by many of the characters with the main wooden flooring set. The characters reveal their suppressed emotions and back-stories, as if below the iceberg, after the main set change/transition.
The one design flaw was Tom's schoolbag that was not 1968 vintage and too modern for the scenes. The school bags used are available in many second hand shops, in fact I have two variations in my garage.
Dale Ferguson has created one of the most memorable stage designs that resonates for weeks after seeing the production. The simplicity of the design is complex in the depth of images and multiple functions he has created.
The play was well acted but the multiple parts by the actors was confusing at times. Was that the same character or a different character? The 1990 programme had each character named against the actor playing the multiple roles, while in this production only two actors had this succinct notation. The old programme allowed the audience to understand that the actors would be playing multiple roles.
The direction by Matthew Lutton maximised the use of pauses for both dramatic and comedic effect. His direction, with some of the iconic moments from 1967/1968, took me back to my childhood: - with the "powder" (Bex) moment, the Dame Patti Menzies moment, the school shoes for Christmas presents and the Dame Zara Bate on the beach moment. Matthew Lutton has created so accurately this era throughout the use of atmospheres with his fine cast.
The choreography by Stephanie Lake in conjunction with Dale Ferguson's design captured the late 1960's as the cast thrust their legs through the gold curtain that paid homage to "Laugh In". It was as if I was watching Goldie Hawn, Ruth Buzzi, Jo Anne Worley, Lily Tomlin and Chelsea Brown doing their go-go-dancing opening routines.
Stephanie Lake has the cast traipse around the stage in formation as if a platoon of soldiers in the Vietnam jungle war zone, or the urban jungle of life: with Coral trying to understand the meaning of life and Gwen trying "to keep up with the Jones".
Stephanie Lake creates sequences that segue between scenes and allow us to appreciate the fragility of life: Are we living, is this a dream or a nightmare? It is with hindsight that I have savoured these segues that worm through the play as if a thematic thread to help bind the character's stories.
The characters can be away emotionally or physically distanced from another character. The characters vary in being away by distress, detachment or denial. Some characters can be physically separated or away from another character by age, respect, sexual frigidity, sexual deprivation or the fear of being stalked.
The new Australians Vic (Julia Davis), Harry (Wadih Dona) and their son Tom (Liam Nunan) can be culturally away as they try to fit into their new country.
Vic, Harry and their son Tom are also made to feel away or unwelcome by the inhospitable Gwen played brilliantly by Heather Mitchell. This tight family unit tries to keep together physically, emotionally and spiritually knowing that bad news was imminent with their son's health. The family showed strength in keeping hope alive and the threat of Tom's impending death away. Here, Vic and Harry are fully aware of their son's illness and keep him close to their hearts. They do not want him to go away.
The principal, Roy played by Glenn Hazeldine had to keep moving away to start afresh as his wife Coral played superbly by Natasha Herbert, was away with the fairies. Roy had to move jobs and towns in order to survive and appear connected. The more he kept trying to be connected the more away Coral becomes. By Roy trying to bring Coral back to reality created tensions and awkward moments that could cross the line into stalking. By trying to get close to newlywed Rick (a dual role played by Liam Nunan) Coral created more distance. Rick reminded Coral of her son who was killed in Vietnam. Again the theme of away is so repeated in so many different ways.
All of the different versions of being away are emphasised by Matthew Lutton's superb direction. He gets us thinking "where are we away from?" or "who are we away from?" or "Are we away from our own true self?" or "Are we being present with ourselves or others to obtain inner peace?"
The same wardrobe is used as the three families prepare and pack for a holiday. In the first of the packing scenes, Tom is left stage right observing the action of Roy and Coral packing. Is Tom now a ghost or an angel? Is Tom foretelling his future? It is as if Tom both represents Roy and Coral's dead son looking over them and protecting them, and looking at his fate of what his parents will endure when he dies.
Having Tom observe this action is a magical moment and is the first time this device is used in the direction of the play. By doing so, Matthew Lutton has cemented a contract with the audience that will be repeated throughout the play: the role of observing from away: "Away" in time, distance thoughts or memory. Tom is haunting us. But he could also be guiding and protecting us to NOT be away - but to be connected.
The donkey headed (Bottom) characters reappear as if from a nightmare from "A Midsummer Night's Dream". This image haunts us and represents memories of both the forest and an uplifting moment of perpetual childhood paying homage to "Peter Pan". This image is miraculous as it increases the distance between hope and reality for Tom's health plight.
The donkey parade reappearing represents the war zone of every day living for many characters, but in particular Coral's torment. This donkey parade represents the jungles of Vietnam both a distant war zone physically and in Coral's imagination. Coral can only know what the Vietnam jungle looked like from the television as the Vietnam war was the first war to be shown nightly on the news (compared to the News Reels at the cinema during World War 2). This jungle does not make sense at first, and it is as if we are challenged to also to be away from somewhere, someone or something.
Gwen (Heather Mitchell) played the neurotic wife brilliantly. She played the hysterical and ridiculous woman who has a lonely, monotonous and empty life. Gwen was also channeling the Betty Draper character from "Mad Men",
Gwen's husband, Jim was played superbly by Marco Chiappi, would float along. Jim appeared to be a weak character and in fact showed us his strength by supporting his wife's issues. Marco Chiappi's Jim provided one of the funnest moments with his throw-away line about finding his keys after the brilliant hysteria of Heather Mitchell's Gwen.
Heather Mitchell as Gwen, did not draw breath in her rapid fire delivery which accentuated the haunting Vietnam war images for Coral and Roy. Gwen was trying to "keep up with the Jones" and in doing so created so much inner turmoil and distancing herself from others. She was keeping the new Australian family away by her unwelcoming attitude and her double standards.
Coral played brilliantly by Natasha Herbert is questioning the meaning of life and death. She vacillates between reality, medicated reality and fantasy. She plays the philosopher and questions the merit and worth of struggling to improve ourselves. Coral traipsing around the stage had a dual image as if a platoon of soldiers in the jungle searching for answers to how her son died in the Vietnam war, and the urban jungle of survival.
Roy, Coral's husband, was played wonderfully by Glenn Hazeldine in suppressing the loss of his son. Roy tries to keep strong for his wife, Coral. Roy confronts Coral with an explosion of pent up emotions as if another Vietnam war image of a grenade waiting to explode and injure the prey-in-waiting. However, Roy's revelation is cathartic and typical of the 1960's when men did not show their emotions so readily as today. Roy confronted his demons within himself and with his wife. Roy is at the end of his tether and is seeking a way to allow their relationship to move forward, away from their grief.
Vic, played wonderfully by Julia Davis reminds us that life is a cycle and to enjoy what time we have together as a family. Vic embraces the fragility and preciousness of life. Vic demonstrates acceptance psychological theory as a way of moving forward and as a coping mechanism. Julia Davis's Vic is not being ruthless but highlights the gratitude of her life with her family and her new adopted home, away from her support back in the United Kingdom. She is such an understated character that teaches us so much about resolve, strength and resilience.
Harry was played admirably by Wadih Dona with warmth and sincerity. He supported his wife Vic and they worked well together as a believable family unit with their son, Tom. This honest connection and relationship between the three actors as a family, made it more gut wrenching when this family unit was revealing and living the secret of their ill son.
The three actors playing Vic, Harry and Tom created an honest connection and relationship as a family unit, making it more gut wrenching when they revealed their ill son's impending fate.
My only concern was that Wadih Dona's accent took a scene to develop, rather than instantly recognising a British accent upon his first line and entrance.
Masks of pain are shown through out the production: both the physical donkey mask and the cover-up facade to "grin and bear it" to hide their individual torment. Each character is hiding something, as if a mask of pain. This image is highlighted as the characters wear the donkey or Bottom mask to hide their faces. This image is to cover the shame they feel about their pain, and is another example of showing physical distance and being "away" from their pain. This donkey mask is used as if hiding in the jungle - Vietnam or urban jungles, in reality or in their nightmares. The mask is also used as a device to voyeuristic-ally watch others like a fly on the wall in different scenes. The observing device is mainly performed by Tom as if he is an angel overlooking events of his life.
Tom was giving his parents permission to move on during the final "amateur night" with a set that looked as if it was from "Gilligan's Island".
The final "amateur night" was spoiled by a young lady in the audience texting during this very emotional scene. She did not try to hide her phone but held it up vigorously and rudely texting with the light distracting many around her.
The final school scene was well staged as Tom was no longer at school. The final speech by Naomi Rukavina as Meg was delivered with sincerity and honesty and her simple looking away allowed us into her realisation that Tom had now died. A brilliant version of the ending that captured the soul and essence of being away physically but also being closer than ever to Tom emotionally and spiritually.
In the 1990 version of "Away" Tom said the final speech. I preferred Matthew Lutton's version as it emphasised the impact of someone dying or going away has on young friends.
Matthew Lutton has captured the essence of grief, during 1967/68 and has presented us with a wonderful meditation on mortality and the fragility of life.
"Away" captures the ebb and flow of life and all of the challenges we are faced.
It was such a coincidence as this day was exactly one hundred days since I had lost my mother who was very supportive of me. I have suffered incredible grief during my life and my mother taught me to be resilient. Watching my parents lose a child was gut wrenching. To lose two was unbearable. My mother did not deny the life and death cycle as she had lost her mother when she was six year's old in 1933. My mother prepared all of my siblings with the inevitability of death. My mother's famous phrase "that's life" was so aptly presented in "Away" and her spirit was ever present. It was a healing for me to see this wonderful play on such a milestone day as this wonderful cast honoured and respected those who have died and those who have been left behind.
I do not write lightly about this wonderful cast of "Away". I am still relishing in the beauty of life on June 28th 2017 as I try to finish my review. (I do not want to finish this as I am relishing my memories).
Thank you to the The Sydney Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre, Merlyn Theatr for such a moving production of "Away"that will linger in my heart and memories for many years to come.
I gave this production of "Away" an 8.5/10. My partner also gave it an 8.5/10.
Facebook post:
I wrote the following on my Facebook page: "AWAY" by Michael Gow: The Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company have produced a sensational version of Michael Gow's play "AWAY". I have seen it before and for those who grew up in the 1960s many themes will resonate. I could easily see this production again. There is a great interview with Michael Gow that gives insights into the play on the ABC. So saddened he has now passed on - but wow what a legacy he has left behind with such a masterpiece of writing. Congratulations to the cast and crew. 2017-05-18
Spoiler alert: The transformation scene is reminiscent of "Titanic- the musical" with the lining sinking, "Sunset Boulevard - the musical" with the set flying in, and "An Inspector Calls" where the whole set collapses. This scenery change is spectacular in execution and comes as such a wonderful surprise that supports the story by transporting us to the clinical white beach, which can be heaven or hell to some people. This image of the white set underneath also creates the image of the underworld of hell or fantasy. Brilliant, sheer brilliance as the design emotionally supports the play. I have seen so much theater where the design is a marketing tool, here the design is another element which is subtle but integral to the action.
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