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| Ryan Hodson - Conor Leach in "Fourteen" |
Directed by
Nick Skubij – Set Design by Josh McIntosh
Costumes
designed by Fabian Holford – Lighting designed by Trent Suidgeest
Sound
designer and composer: Guy Webster – Choreographed by Dan Venz
Canberra
Theatre Centre Playhouse 9th – 11th May 2024.
Performance
on 9th May reviewed by BILL STEPHENS
 |
| Karen Crone and Conor Leach in "Fourteen". |
Shake & Stir Theatre Company can always be relied upon for its impressively mounted and performed productions. Fourteen will certainly rank among its best and most provocative.
Based on a
best-selling memoir by Shannon Molloy, Fourteen tells the true story of a year
of self- discovery for an effeminate year 9 student attending an all-boys
school in the quiet Queensland beach community of Yeppoon.
The audience
is introduced to Shannon on his wedding day in 2019, but how he got to this
happy place is not the concern of the play. Rather its focus is on events that occurred 20
years earlier, when being different was a much harder path.
Shannon’s
story is no romantic romcom, but neither is it dark tragedy. Many of the elements
are familiar, but it is how Director Nick Skubij and his team of creatives at Shake
& Stir tell this story that makes this production memorable.
Josh
McIntosh’s versatile two-story setting successfully captures the ambiance of a
small Queensland town. With its central revolve, wheeled staircases, furniture
and dropdowns, it transforms easily into an endless variety of locales.
Colourful
lighting design by Trent Suidgeest, a pumping 90’s soundtrack by Guy Webster,
and delightful choreographic contributions by Dan Venz, provide an optimistic
atmosphere to counter the shock of coarse language, a brutal bashing and
self-harm scenes.
When the
play finishes it comes as a shock to discover that all the characters who inhabit
Shannon’s world are portrayed by just seven extraordinary actors whose
lightning fast costume changes are enabled by witty costumes designed by Fabian
Holford.
Only Conor
Leach plays a single role, and he captivates with his cleverly nuanced
portrayal of the resilient young Shannon Molloy struggling against forces which
try to deny him the right to be the person he knows he really is.
 |
| Judy Hainsworth- Conor Leach - Amy Ingram in "Fourteen" |
Everyone
else in Shannon’s life is played by Leon Cain, Karen Crone, Judy Hainsworth,
Ryan Hudson, Amy Ingram and Steven Rooke who between them create a whole town-full
of kooky, warm-hearted, brutal, funny, thoroughly entertaining and believable
characters with whom to laugh, empathise
and even shed a tear.
In telling
his story, which is far from unique, Shannon Molloy has created a remarkable
play which shines a spotlight on an all-too common situation. Shake & Stir
has turned his play into a memorable production which happily will be seen
widely during this tour. Don’t miss your chance to experience it.
Images by Joel Devereux
This review first published in the digital edition of CITY NEWS on 11.05.24