Caravan, Malthouse Theatre's Forecourt for the Melbourne Festival, Tuesday October 11th 2017
"Caravan" was presented at the Malthouse Theatre's Forecourt for the Melbourne Festival, Tuesday October 11th 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 it is more of a stream of consciousness.
"Caravan" was presented at the Malthouse Theatre's Forecourt for the Melbourne Festival, Tuesday October 11th 2017. The signage at the Malthouse Theatre had an arrow pointing to the play's location and called it the Undercroft, while on the tickets and online it states the area as the Forecourt. I long for consistency for marketing purposes.
Tuesday October 11th 2017 had a wild storm coming in over Melbourne so the performance would be challenging as the Forecourt was under cover but very much exposed to the wind and the rain that blew in. Thankfully the rain came towards the end of the show.
Programs were available prior to entry. The seating was tiered with about six rows for patrons.
The skyscape of Melbourne sat behind the caravan that was to be the set for the play. The sounds of urban Melbourne added to the atmosphere with trams, trucks, cars and airplane traffic flying low above.
"Caravan" was written by four writers: Angus Cerini, Patricia Cornelius, Wayne Macauley and Melissa Reeves from an original concept by Nicci Wilks.
Set and Costume Design by Marg Horwell was realistic and claustrophobic. The opening of the side wall of the caravan to reveal the mother inside was a simple and effective device. The planter boxes were strategically placed to support the weight of the caravan wall. The final curtain-calls via the window were priceless for its simplicity and for maintaining the captive cast members.
Lighting Design by Andy Turner created the requisite atmospheres of isolation and claustrophobia and was complemented the cityscape lights against the dark night. Sound Design by Ian Moorhead exceeded everyone's expectations with the toilet scene that drew lots of laughs. The timing of the music, radio and other sound effects were realistic as if we were voyeurs witnessing a real mother and daughter
"Caravan" is about a mother and daughter who live a toxic, love/hate relationship in enclosed environment. There is no escape from each other.
There was so much realistic action in "Caravan" with smoking, cooking Lamb's Fry, eating, painting toes and toilet duties. These fine actors owned the space and made it realistic. As the wind built up ferocity the cupboards would fling open and the window shutters would bang. These characters had lived in this caravan for many years and these were not distractions to them, but a fact of life as they ignored the elements and dealt with issues when and if needed. Different items would fall down and it was pointless to put them back. They knew a storm would pass. It was as if the real storm was a third character and the undercurrent to their volatile relationship.
Nicci Wilks played the daughter Donna with Aussie fair-dink-um attitude. Donna's mother, Judy was played by Susie Dee. Her name Judy was rarely said and it was if the anonymity of her name became a part of the story. A Mum is a mum! They are true Aussie battlers.
Nicci Wilks was Donna and her actions were so realistic and her voice was gutsy Aussie battler. Susie Dee played the manipulative mother with charm. Her fantasy scene was so funny with her smelling the fingers to put the frosting on the cake! The audience relished their relationship and the humour was very funny, while the sharpness was poignant and unnerving.
The sexual theme with Donna's sifting through potential Tinder men showed desperation to be loved and respected. She had thought sexual gratification was love and a successful relationship. Her Tinder searches and sexual encounters were comical and more so tragic.
Both women wanted and fought for attention in different ways. They were two spinsters growing old together - Donna had been groomed by Judy to be a companion in life and death.
Donna would deny her mother any access to alcohol as she was trying to be a role model that Judy was not. Donna kept throwing back the cask wine and we could see she was to become just like her mother with the cycle repeating itself. There caravan was as if we were watching pet mice repeating the same life cycle on a treadmill.
Many people would not believe these type of people exist. "Caravan" reminded me in part of The Castle" and also the Judy Davis film "High Tide". Some people in the original screenings of "The Castle" did not think people lived like this and did not understand the story. Some people would not believe that some one can manipulate their child/children for so many years. Think of "Grey Gardens" which is a true story. I personally know someone that was "dying" for 41 years and made the whole family live through hell. So this play had a huge resonating truth about it. What I know was the father requested the kidney of one son. The son refused due to his abusive treatment. Even though this play did not go to this extent, the trapping of the daughter theme was prominent.
After the show I debriefed with my partner about the show. Due to the noise from the storm we missed some of the dialogue.
Was the daughter smart all along? Did she take over the role of the mother? Did the mother die? I will not give it away but write these as a memory for what we discussed to debrief about the experience. We both thought the play could have been about five to ten minutes shorter. We got the idea that life is a cycle and it is sometimes very hard for certain people to break the cycle.
Nicci Wilks and Susie Dee are Creators and Performers for "Caravan". Their working relationship is instinctual and profound. They obviously directed the piece and thus created honesty with their objectives and emotional connection to the play.
A middle aged woman in the second back row, and who should know better, took photos and video footage of the show. So rude and so distracting!
"Caravan" deserves to tour the festival circuit as it is a good example of the cruelty that some endure as a part of their Australian life.
"Caravan" obtained a 8/10.
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