Neighbourhood Watch is a good play packed full of themes relevant to today’s audience experiencing the pandemic and all it entails: isolation, entrapment, importance of friendship, love and death. It is billed in the program as a “glorious comedy” which is just what we need as we struggle out of Covid isolation. But I’m afraid this production missed the important comedic mark.
The central role of Ana a Hungarian refugee played by Colleen Cook dominated the production. Colleen delivered a strong performance but it lacked the nuance necessary for us to warm to her. The melange of aussie slang, inappropriate use of the definite article and the the Hungarian accent should have at least inspired a few audience chuckles but it did not. Ana’s constant negative comments, for example berating her neighbor Catherine (Kelly Robinson) as ‘stupid’, came across as acerbic and not caring. Unfortunately we did not get the sense of Ana seeing her young self in Catherine and wanting to help her.
Scenes of Ana’s early traumatic life could have served this purpose. Confusingly for the audience the Young Ana was played by Caitlin Williams in some scenes and Kelly Robinson in others. We therefore did not relate to Catherine learning through Ana’s experiences.
The flashback scenes were also let down by the costumes and lighting. It was difficult to feel sympathy for the young Ana and her family who were very well dressed and in a brightly lit living room although allegedly starving in a war torn area of Hungary.
Some of the actors played multiple roles with varying success but John van Putten excelled in all his four roles. Another standout was Susan Jordan in her role as Jovanka. This character introduced humour and underpinned the theme of friendship. The climax of the play with Jovanka, Ana and Catherine at the movies was a delight.
I really commend the New Theatre for being a front-runner in opening up with such efficiency. The Covid safe protocols were conveyed in a relaxed but clear manner by the staff. I’m sorry that I can only give this production two stars.
Liz O’Toole, Theatre Now
