Joanna Webb as Ettie
Presented by Moore Books and Holden Street Theatres
Reviewed 12 July 2014
We’ve been through some cold nights here in Adelaide recently but at least we haven’t been slogging through the trenches of Europe during World War 1!
Ettie’s Boys, written by Aussie Playwright Ian McGrath and directed by Tony Moore, takes us to those dark times, into a rather unexplored side of the war.
Ettie Rout changed the face of modern hygiene, encouraging soldiers to use proper precautions while off hitting the streets and brothels. By fighting her way through the almost insane wartime bureaucracy in a crusade for health, she managed to save a good many lads and ladies from some nasty ‘self-inflicted wounds’. Ettie’s Boys follows the story of her life, and salutes all those brave men and women who did their part in the war, delving into the myriad of relationships and hardships they experienced.
It’s great to see contemporary Australian playwrights in the spotlight, especially when they write so well. McGrath’s writing is precise yet full of interesting little quirks. Some parts of the play are almost poetic, with rhyming couplets here and there.
Moore’s talent in direction shows as well. He manages to get the most out of an already-decent script (with the help of all actors involved, of course). Although there is a lot to take in and the play sometimes moves a bit chaotically, it is engaging and impactful in all the right places.
Joanna Webb is a fantastic Ettie. She is confident and talented as a performer, making Ettie a well-rounded and realistic character. Iain Herridge as Fred, Ettie’s confidant, is also a great actor. He has a powerful presence and a great voice, never dropping character.
The three ‘boys’, Adrian Gruszka, Stephen Jeffery and Jabez Retallick may come off as a little flat and forced some times, but in general they bring a bit of boyish, Aussie humour to the play. Maxine Harding is fabulous in a variety of roles, able to switch up accents on the fly and pull them off incredibly well, and Brian Godfrey as Willie adds a unique character to the whole performance, and a bit of humour as well.
Ettie’s Boys does suffer from a bit of bloat, with almost too much material to cover and too many character relationships to explore. The play seems to be spread a little thin, with only a few characters explored in much depth. The idea of switching between far-off places and times in the brief second it takes for the actors to cross the stage is interesting, but you may find your neck getting sore. It’s a bit like watching a tennis ball being hit back and forth!
Despite this, Ettie’s Boys is really about Ettie and if you keep that in mind you will definitely not be disappointed. Ettie’s Boys is an interesting play, full of great monologues and interactions, written and directed by a talented team and performed by an equally talented cast.
Reviewed by James Rudd
Venue: The Arch, Holden Street Theatres – 34 Holden St, Hindmarsh
Season: 11 – 27 July 2014
Duration: 2 hours and a 20 minute interval
Tickets: $18.00 – $25.00
Bookings: Through VenueTix online or phone (08) 8225 8888
Disclosure: Actor Brian Godfrey is a contributor to Glam Adelaide
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