Another triumph from Holden Street Theatres
Presented by: Holden Street Theatres Inc
Reviewed: 26 September 2024
Often referred to as the father of Australian Literature, Patrick White is read amazingly by very few Australians. The Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973, he is undoubtedly considered probably the best of our Australian Playwrights. However, he is not everyone’s cup of tea and many find his themes of troubling religious contrasts hard to follow.
This play published in 1964 and set in the 50s examines a small cohort of the citizens of a fictional suburb close to Sydney, called Sarsaparilla. In the very funny interchanges of these people, each character is dissected and exposed. White makes his point that goodness is also a sin.
The performance commences with the character Miss Scougall playing the church organ. Sandi McNenamin with very little dialogue conveys the disapproving and skeptical church organist. When we move to the Custance home we see that the upstanding husband, (Robert Cusenza) and his mousey wife, (Catherine Cambell) have settled into a comfortable marriage, neither of them particularly happy but sure of their goodness. To demonstrate this they offer a room to the sad lonely Miss Docker. The script lampoons the stiff sterility of the era.
Miss Docker makes them regret their guilt-inspired empty gesture. Miss Docker, conceived by White’s sadistic mind, is everything you don’t want in a house guest. Martha Lott plays the difficult role of Miss Docker to the hilt. She is a good soul with a good heart and a no-nonsense manner. So helpful, so concerned, full of advice given for the recipient’s own good, and so loud. Her move to the Sundown Home for Old People is inevitable as is the ire of the other residents played beautifully by Sue Wylie and Jo Coventry. These two deliver some of White’s lines in what appears to be a trance state, uncovering hidden flaws and hopes, while David O’Brien as Mr Anstruther reflects the lack of care or interest in the residents.
Miss Docker prays for help and forgiveness and swamps the Rev Wakeman (David Arcidaco) with unwanted help, unneeded advice, and painful truth bombs. Arcidiaco plays the put-upon and unnerved preacher very well and Jessica Corrie as his wife shows more unhelpful goodness.
Other minor parts were played well by Amelia Lott-Watson, Christopher Cordeaux, and Ron Hoenig. Direction was by Peter Goers who also designed the production using an authentic wardrobe with assistance from Brian Budgen and Anne Wills including an unending supply of crochet on the set.
Reviewed by Fran Edwards
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Venue: Holden Street Theatres
Season: 26 September – 12 October 2024
Duration: 2hrs
Tickets: $25.20 (+ $3.30 fee)
Bookings: https://www.holdenstreettheatres.com/a-cheery-soul
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