A play for our times and not to be missed.
Presented by: Virtually Creative
Reviewed: 18 February, 2023
Tim Marriott’s new play is a disturbing example of art imitating life as we become increasingly aware of the incidence of harassment and abuse of power by employers towards female staff.
The annual appraisal of department head, Nicky, played by Emily-Jo Davidson, conducted by senior manager Jo, played by Nicholas Collett, should be a routine affair. We see from the beginning Nicky doesn’t want to be in a meeting at all, while Jo pretends he has actually forgotten about the meeting when in reality his plan is to effectively sideline her.
Davidson and Collett shine in this classic two-hander, starting out with distant politeness and moving on to subtle, and then not so subtle manipulation and threats. All Nicky wants is to continue working in her current position, not needing the stress of a more senior role. Because Jo has a hidden agenda he chooses to see this as a lack of ambition and motivation and so justifying, at least in his own mind, his plans for Nicky’s future.
The twists and turns in the relationship between the two are very cleverly scripted and performed in this production. Collett is very believable, as Jo becomes increasingly unpleasant, rehashing old issues and even suggesting being a vegan makes Nicky ‘difficult’.
In Davidson’s portrayal of Nicky we see how hard it is to stand up to intimidation in the workplace however determined she is not to be bested by Jo, and as the pace and tension builds, the audience is not sure who will triumph in the end. A terrific play, disturbingly realistic.
Reviewed by Jan Kershaw
Venue: Main Theatre at Kryztoff at the Goodwood Theatre
Season: Sun 19 Feb 2:30pm, Fri 24 Feb: 6pm, Sat 25 Feb – Sun 26 Feb: 1pm
Duration: 60 mins
Tickets: $29.95, Concession: $26.50, Schools: $13.00
Bookings: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/appraisal-af2023
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