Presented by: University of Adelaide Theatre Guild
Reviewed: 12 October, 2023
James Graham has written a play that has captured audiences everywhere. Opening in London in 2017 at the Almeida theatre it moved to Manhattan Theatre Club on Broadway and received 2 Tony awards and now Robert Bell and Rebecca Kemp have brought it to us.
Set in the hectic days of Fleet Street in the late 60’s, it focuses on the world of Rupert Murdoch and his fellow media barons. The opening scenes are full of energy, enthusiasm, and the intensity of looming deadlines. On an interesting two-level set, designed by Normajeane Ohlsson, built by Jason Allan and lit with stylishness by Stephen Dean the action and dialogue is fast, spinning the complex plot fraught with moral decisions and difficult life changing moves. The directors have chosen a stellar cast who handle the mixture of comedy, cruelty, and humanity well.
In the pivotal role of Rupert Murdoch, Joshua Coldwell is every inch the cynical media man who pushes for what he wants, and a new paper that will crush the current leaders just that. He needs an editor who wants this as much as he does and Larry Lamb, played by Bart Csorba is persuaded into the job. Murdoch is ruthless in acquiring the Sun and Lamb must manage to fill the many roles to get the paper off the ground. Coldwell and Csorba lead the new staff in a fascinating dance to get things going to the original soundtrack. The first act is full of great comic moments and witty dialogue.
Steve Marvanek does well as opposing media mogul Hugh Cudlipp, editor in chief of the Daily Mirror, and Maxwell Whigham convinces as Lee Howard. The scenes between Murdoch and Cudlipp are tense and well handled. The crew of The Sun are a strong group, Gary George in the role of Brian McConnell, Kate Anolak as Joyce Hopkirk, Stuart Pearce as Ray Mills, David Lockwood as Bernard Shrimsley, John Rosen as sports editor Frank Nicklin, Charlie Milne as photographer Beverley Goodway, and Joh Hartog as Sir Alice McKay. Many of these are doubled in other roles, with Sam Wiseman and Ognjen Trisic.
The story of the Sun would not be complete without the page 3 girls, Sarika Young and Sahra Cresshull filled those parts with Young being perfect as the first, the girl who got all the initial flack. This was only part of the changes that were covered in act two, which didn’t shy away from the growing complex moral and principal issues. Lamb in particular suffers pangs of conscience over his decisions which have unexpected consequences..
This is a well written play about a complex subject which manages to not get caught in the obvious politics of the day, doesn’t preach or moralise, but allows the audience to reach its own conclusions. Well worth a visit.
Reviewed by Fran Edwards
Photo credit: Richard Parkhill
Venue: Little Theatre, Adelaide University
Season: 12-22 October, 2023
Duration: 3hrs 15mins (including a 20-minute interval)
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/986215
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