KEY POINTS:
ON STAGE
What: The Real Thing
Where: silo theatre
When: Until September 29
Reviewer: Shannon Huse
In The Real Thing Tom Stoppard reminds us of how difficult it is to describe the illusive nature of true love and in this staging of the complex and challenging piece I was reminded of the slippery nature of live theatre.
The Real Thing at the silo theatre combines one of the giants of modern playwrighting with an appealing local cast, experienced design team and talented director. All the elements are there for an unforgettable night at the theatre but some little spark is missing.
Shane Bosher is an assured director who has previously impressed with his ability to make the quirky coherent and classics feel fresh. In this production he succeeds in the difficult task of making the dense Stoppard script accessible and having the actors match its tumbling pace. But the lead characters' emotional journey stops short in the second act and a little more Bosher magic is needed to make an enjoyable night at the theatre a truly memorable one.
Stephen Lovatt is an intense performer whose Shakespearean skill with language is well utilised in this production but at times it wasn't clear exactly what emotions Henry was feeling and why he arrived at the decisions he did.
Claire Chitham sparkled in the first act as heart-breaker Annie and although she is a charismatic actor with a down-to-earth appeal she hasn't quite conquered the role. Men will ruin their lives to win Annie's affections but Claire's Annie seems unaware or uncomfortable with this power.
Cameron Rhodes and Theresa Healey give beautifully nuanced performances as the abandoned spouses Max and Charlotte. Together and separately they enliven every scene they are in and are sorely missed in the second act.
Paul Ellis and Brian Rankin perform well as the other men who fall under Annie's spell.
Ellis' love-struck Billy is oily with lust while Rankin's Brodie inspires rancour with his sense of entitlement.
In one of the highlight scenes Michelle Blundell gives a delightfully spiky performance as Henry's daughter Debbie. She proves her father's rapier wit is no match for her own verbal parries, landing a number of damaging strikes in the exchange.
Stoppard's play travels through time, place and reason at a rapid pace providing challenges aplenty for the design team, especially in such an intimate theatre as the silo.
Designer John Verryt is up to the task with a practical, tastefully soulless set that features a white panelled back wall with sliding panels that open to reveal living room centre pieces such as the shelves where ceramics, glass collectables and other trophies of middle class life are prominently displayed.
Victoria Ingram's costumes work very well as a whole, providing tasteful indications of the temperaments of each character. Her clothes for the supporting characters were particularly good but I would like to have seen a different approach for the two leads. Many of Annie's outfits were not as flattering as they should have been and Henry's clothes were bland.
Jonathan Cross's sound design is a perfect demonstration of the power of cheap sentiment with its line-up of 60s and 70s hits that not only underline the action but in some instances provide clues for what is to come.
The Real Thing is Tom Stoppard at his best with dazzling dialogue and intellectually muscular polemics on love, art, politics and even digital watches, but it seems an unusual choice for the silo theatre. It feels like a safe, almost stodgy selection for a company with such a vibrant and provocative back catalogue.
