David Williamson is an iconic figure in the history of Australian theatre and film, once a leader in the New Wave theatre which put plays by Australians about Australians front and centre on stages not only here but overseas. He depicts middle class concerns – as he himself has said, he is the spokesman for a certain class and a certain generation. Sorting Out Rachel, the latest work from Williamson ‘s prolific pen does not stray from the formula but it is contrived and predictable and effectively, just poorly written. Had any other writer presented this script for production, they would have been sent away, told to extensively re-work it.
In a world where wealth distribution is becoming a water-cooler topic, Sorting Out Rachel asks how inherited money, made by exploiting the land and climate, be best reconciled with our responsibilities to the indigenous community. However worthy such an issue is, the script which is the vehicle for this exploration is problematic. A sort of Didacticism 101. The exposition takes all of Act 1 in a two-act play and often characters just sit, righteously mouthing moral positions.
A committed cast struggle to present characters without complexity in a script which is superficial in plot. All manage to achieve a moment or two. John Howard’s Bruce cannily reads people with an insightfulness which is a testament to age and experience. As Julie, his daughter, Natalie Saleeba charts a personal journey with an expressive face which says it all; although her busy work is distracting and pointless and does not contribute to characterisation. The suggestion of OCD with lining up of coffee cup handles is not carried through to the aimless stacking of glassware and folding of napkins. Craig (Glenn Hazeldine) is a nicely nuanced egocentric husband without vision and his complete self-absorption brings some humour to the play. Chenoa Deemal struggles a little as Tess but this is largely due to the character being little more than a cipher; she has not got a lot to work with. Jenna Owen (Rachel) shouts her way through scenes and whilst teenage daughters can be notoriously difficult, selfish and challenging, director Nadia Tass might revisit and help Owen find some more subtleties and levels in her portrayal. When actors consistently yell at each other onstage, it undermines the real conflict.
The familial resemblance between father and daughters was neatly realised in casting. It helps with believability when an audience can trace a similarity of face shape between characters who are supposed to be related. Other inherited characteristics (such as temperament and single-mindedness) are referred to but not worked through. Bruce (Howard) and his grand-daughter Rachel (Owen) are very similar people but the moments where this could be more fully explored are lost, or limited by the unimaginative script.
The Ensemble is a small space which throws down the gauntlet to directors, actors and designers. Christopher Page’s lighting makes the most of the limitations; effectively helping set mood and his projected vision work creates atmospheric and interesting scene transitions.
My companion and I left the theatre feeling that we had been lectured to. Or at. And a little uncomfortable with the twee nature of the last scene.
Sorting Out Rachel will be successful in terms of audience size. Williamson has a large band of faithful fans, who have followed him since his early forays and filled up the theatre on opening night. But popularity is not artistic achievement. Before Rachel is sorted out, the script needs to be.
Kate Stratford – Theatre Now & On The Town
Photos are by Heidrun Lohr
Sorting Out Rachel
David Williamson
19 Jan – 17 Mar 2018
Refer Calendar Below
Venue: Ensemble
Theatre Company: Ensemble
Duration: N/A
When it comes to business Bruce knows what to do. You’ve got to out-bite the sharks and twist a good deal before you get screwed. But as the years go by and his legacy starts to loom, his thoughts turn to his exasperated daughter, her social climbing husband and his granddaughter, Rachel, who unfortunately takes after him. Perhaps it’s time to make amends. Can Bruce solve his family issues without giving away a long-held secret?
Director
Nadia Tass
Cast includes
Chenoa Deemal
Glenn Hazeldine
John Howard
Jenna Owen
Natalie Saleeba
