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| Alex Hoskison (Brett) - Cole Hilder (Glenn) |
Directed and
Designed by Amy Kowalczuk.
Movement
Direction by Michelle Norris.
Lighting
Designed by Murray Wenham – Sound Design by Neville Pye.
Produced by
Alchemy Artistic – Shadowhouse PITS – Sophie Benassi.
ACT HUB. 13th – 16th April 2022. Reviewed
by Bill Stephens.
Inspired by
the horrific 1986 rape and murder of Sydney-based nurse, Anita Cobby, Gordon
Graham’s play “The Boys” is not the story of this tragic event.
It is
instead a brilliantly imagined, excoriating depiction of societal behaviour
within a family of the type which could possibly lead to the set of circumstances
in which the commission of such a heinous crime could be conceivable, and as
such is chillingly successful.
And although
the play was written in the 1990’s, despite the fact that there is a heightened
awareness of sexual violence in modern society, the motivations depicted remain
as depressingly prescient and no less horrifying than when the play was written.
First-time
director, Amy Kowalczuk, was inspired to tackle this confronting play as a
major component of her Master of Theatre and Performance thesis, and her
finely-tuned, riveting production has proven to be an auspicious inaugural
introduction to Canberra’s newest performance venue, the ACT Hub.
Kowalczuk’s
stripped back production was performed in the round with minimal props. The
audience sat in tiered seating surrounding
the four sides of the stage creating a daunting environment for the seven actors tasked with portraying the
four unedifying members of the Sprague family and their partners.
Kowalczuk
had chosen her actors well with each responding to her thoughtfully devised direction with totally committed performances
that ensured that the audience’s attention was at all times tightly focused.
Despite this, it was hard to resist the temptation to sneak a peek at the reaction
of audience members opposite during the more confronting scenes.
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| Meaghan Stewart (Michelle) - Caitlin Baker (Nola) - Liz St.Clair Long (Sandra) |
When the
play begins the Sprague family matriarch, Sandra (Liz St. Clair Long) is preparing
a barbecue to welcome home her eldest son Brett (Alex Hoskison) following his stint
in prison. Sandra hopes that Brett’s return will restore equilibrium within the
family. Sharing Sandra’s excitement is
Brett’s girlfriend Michelle (Meaghan Stewart) herself hoping that Brett may be
more open to concentrating on their relationship.
Sandra’s
also worried by the way her youngest son, Stevie (Blue Hyslop) treats his
pregnant girlfriend, Nola (Caitlin Baker), and although she doesn’t
particularly get along with the partner of her white-sheep son, Glenn (Cole
Hilder), she’s pleased with the effect Jackie (Indie Scarletti) is having on
him.
However
Brett has his own plans and is keen for some excitement to make up for his lost
time in prison. When his boorish efforts to re-assert himself as head of the
family are resisted by Glenn, and Michelle rebuffs him after he accuses her of infidelity,
tempers flare and Brett becomes disruptive. Eventually, fuelled by alcohol and
suppressed rage, Brett becomes uncontrollable and challenges his brothers to
support him by joining him in drunken rampage.
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| Alex Hoskison (Brett) - Meaghan Stewart (Michelle) |
These
events, played out realistically in close proximity to the audience were quite
confronting and the brilliance of the play was the way that despite it being impossible
to defend the behaviour of any of the men, the enabling behaviour of the four
women also raised questions which the audience had the opportunity to discuss
with the actors, and on one occasion even the playwright himself, in curated Q
& A sessions which followed each performance.
“The Boys”
was an interesting choice by Kowalczuk for her directorial debut. In her
program notes she admits a long held ambition to direct this play which deals
with attitudes she finds herself confronting in her professional career as a
teacher. Her obvious ability to
draw compelling performances from her
actors and collaborating creatives in such a fastidiously conceived production
augurs well for her directorial future.
Images by Mark Actually
This review also appears in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au
