AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

Written by Tracy Letts

Directed by Cate Clelland

A Free-Rain Theatre Company production

ACT Hub Theatre, Kingston to 15 September

 

Reviewed by Len Power 7 September 2024

 

Tracy Letts’ play “August: Osage County” first opened in Chicago in 2007 and subsequently played on Broadway in 2008. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A success internationally, it was also filmed in 2013.

The disappearance and apparent suicide of father, Beverley Weston, brings family members home outside Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Thrown together for several weeks, this volatile group explode with truths, lies, anger, disappointments and secrets. If you think your family had problems, wait until you see this bunch go into battle with each other!

For this play to succeed, it needs a highly skilled ensemble of actors. The thirteen performers in this production, under director, Cate Clelland, bring these characters colourfully to life. Moments of high drama mixed with flashes of unexpected humour are all played superbly.

Karen Vickery (Violet Weston)

Violet Weston, the matriarch, is played by Karen Vickery as a formidable force of nature. Get in her way and you’re asking for it! Vickery gives this role an impressive strength but also shows the sensitivity and deep neediness in this woman. Hers is an extraordinary performance.

The cast show their ensemble skills with a dinner at a round table. The pacing of this scene is especially exhilarating with its over-lapping dialogue handled brilliantly by the cast. This is acting of a standard rarely seen.

Karen Vickery (Violet Weston) with the cast

Of the other performers, it would be unfair to single out any of them for special praise. They all deserve mention – Louise Bennet (Barbara Weston), Michael Sparks (Charlie Aiken), Bruce Hardie (Bill Fordham), Tracy Noble (Mattie Fay Aiken), Crystal Mahon (Ivy Weston), Karina Hudson (Karen Weston), Ella Buckley (Jean Fordham), Steve Heidebrecht (Richard Manning), Lachlan Ruffy (Little Charles Aiken), David H. Bennett (Beverly Weston), Rob Drennan (Sheriff Dean Gilbeau) and Andrea Garcia (Johnna Monevata).

Director, Cate Clelland, has kept tight control throughout this production, bringing together the right levels of intensity, character and pace, making this a highly memorable theatrical experience.

 

Photos by Janelle McMenamin

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.