Reviewed by Frank McKone
February 7
Playwright: David Williamson
Director: Janine Watson; Assistant Director: Jules Billington
Set & Costume Designer: Veronique Benett
Costume Supervisor: Lily Mateljan; Choreographer: Sanjana Dhanakoti
Lighting Designer: Matt Cox
Composer & Sound Designer: Clare Hennessy
Stage Manager: Lauren Tulloh; Asst Stage Manager: Bella Wellstead
I thank Michael Bailey, appropriately writing in the Financial Review, considering the importance of monetary wealth to the characters in this play – and perhaps I may say to the Sydney North Shore audience at The Ensemble – for reminding me that
David Williamson once almost had a play cancelled because the government subsidising it didn’t like its content, and the renowned dramatist says the implosion of Adelaide Festival’s board is a reminder for arts directors to stand firm against attempted censorship.
Despite the crises engulfing boards from Creative Australia to Melbourne Symphony Orchestra since 2023, as their programming or performers were seen to take a side in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, an arts directorship is still the ultimate signifier of status for the characters in Williamson’s new play, The Social Ladder.
https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/david-williamson-reveals-his-writers-week-moment-20260122-p5nwbo
Accumulating money is the only purpose in life for Australian Charles Mallory, with no concern even for the subleties of his English wife’s delicacy about her upper middle-class origin. Of course she married him and migrated to the one-time Workers’ Paradise, but she does wish he would behave better.
It had surprised me when David Williamson left Sydney for Noosa, I suppose now where society is less crass. He certainly has it in for all classes struggling up the Sydney rungs like Katie Norrie, financial advisor, from Engadine to, I guess, St Ives; and for the ad-film-maker and medical researcher men to make their creativity financially viable.
The worry, I wonder, is should we laugh? In fact, towards the end of the first act, though I had laughed with everyone else, the situation seemed to be a bit indefinite. The issues were made apparent – but what on earth would be done about it?
Well! The shorter second half is an absolute blast!!
Ordinariness is farcically blown up in our faces. We can’t help but laugh and laugh the more farcical it gets, as Andrew McFarlane exposes the truth in the drunken Charles Mallory.
David Williamson has done it again. At 83 he still stands firm. He shows how central to our society are the cold-hearted high-flyers. And we have to stop laughing as we have to ask ourselves what can be done about that?
I leave you with this endearing image of his statue in the Ensemble Foyer, contemplating his next play after – as the orb above him reminds us – his “Last Play” in 2020! May he live (write) for ever.
