A famous author struggling with writer’s block is “rescued” from a car crash by an obsessed fan who promises to nurse him back to health, but soon realises he is not just her idol but her hostage, and must write a novel that pleases her if he ever wishes to escape. This is the premise of Stephen King’s celebrated novel, Misery, which has been adapted into a screenplay and twice into a stage play. Oily Rag Theatre’s production of the script by the same name is the South Australian premiere of William Goldman’s adaptation, and, under the direction of Kristin Telfer, does more than justice to the sinister story.
The audience is exposed to Paul Sheldon’s harrowing experience at the hands of his ‘#1 Fan’, Annie Wilkes, with the play smoothly shifting between contrasting moments of uncomfortable humour and horrific revelations. Heather Crawford is extremely convincing as the deranged Annie, carefully finding moments to drop the front of a lonely, chatty book-lover to reveal a twisted, psychopathic superfan. Her delivery of both the dark, unfeeling and unpredictably rageful sides of Annie and her cold conviction to commit heinous acts had the audience nervously shifting in their seats, and a particularly gruesome scene elicited several gasps. It is no mean feat to be the driving force of the horror of the piece, and Crawford more than rises to the challenge.
This is well-complemented by Damien White’s performance of the tortured yet determined Paul, who deftly showed the struggle of a man held against his will, yet maintaining his writer’s wit and charm. White excellently shows his character’s desperation, with particular note to an early scene when Paul painfully attempts to drag himself across the floor in a hopeless effort to escape.
Though chemistry feels like a strange word to use when discussing such a dark play, it clearly exists between the two performers, who feed off each other’s energy well and convey the development of their characters’ disturbing co-dependent connection. Brian Godfrey is also convincing as the good-natured sheriff Buster.
Though a few scene changes border on lengthy, the simple furnished set is effective in portraying Paul’s blurry recollection of the events of his traumatic experience, an intention made clear in the director’s note in response to a script with some demanding stage directions. The intimacy of the small theatre also adds to the unease and discomfort that grows within the audience throughout the play, preventing them from finding even a moment’s relief from the disquieting events of the play. Without giving too much away, Telfer uses this to full effect in the closing scene, with an ending that drives home the psychological effects of such an ordeal.
Oily Rag have confidently shown that a Hollywood budget is not needed to impactfully deliver the power and horror of this piece and have assembled a truly discomforting (in the best way) and engaging production.
