You have to hand it to them. The Theatre Guild Student Society takes on some substantial theatrical matter, and always gives it a good shot. This time, with Emily Bronte’s so loved – and so familiar – Wuthering Heights, they have taken on challenges at several levels. By and large they did it well. Under the charge of first time director Erin Kneebone Kralj, the cast brought concentration, intensity and a universal commitment to their roles. At the same time they preserved the narrative line and a sustained presentation of the somewhat untamed and otherworldly atmosphere.
The central pairing of Heathcliff and Cathy is critical. Ashraf Abdul Halim brought us a Heathcliff of strength and obsessively single-minded devotion to Cathy. He sustained the character and was at his most compelling when angered. His was a boldly contrasting performance of both tenderness and broiling rage, which played well for the majority of the action. Further, he presented a clear portrayal as the ultimate outsider. He could, however, have further developed the enigma which is the essence of Heathcliffe’s character.
Zoe Russell-Von Bujdoss was captivating in the role of Cathy. She handled the complexity of Cathy’s predicament with sensitivity and compassion. She often showed subtlety as a performer, especially in her affecting monologues, and was particularly strong in the scenes where she was in conflict with others. A short but well-crafted argument with Isabella (Isabel Watson) about Heathcliff stood out in that regard. In it both actors carried themselves with clarity and empathy.
Much of the action was narrated by Nelly Dean the housekeeper, played by Georgia Gustard, – as told to Mr Lockwood the new tenant, played by Liam Warmeant. They both did well. Gustard brought us a Nelly who was decent and well-meaning as well as possessing an inner certainty. She handled the transitions between narration and participation in the action with calm ease. Warmeant’s Lockwood was an attentive listener, yet almost an Everyman as he commented, often wryly, on the events as Nelly retold them. His crisp vocal quality and smooth demeanour was well suited to the role.
Aside from those characters, Clinton Nitschke was firm, irritating and loud as Hindley, Ben Cosford was stolidly grumpy as Joseph, Thomas Marks was appropriately soppy and subservient in his roles of Edgar and Linton, while Elina Sheeba Jose was conciliatory and pleasing in her dual roles of Frances and Mary.
This play was, in most ways, suited to performance in the Little Theatre. The sparse, utilitarian set assisted the action, and the stage was appropriate for the relatively small cast. The audience were suitably drawn into the action by the frequent use of all four sets of stairs, although occasionally the exits and entrances were lengthy and ran the risk of prolonging a scene or interrupting the flow of the play.
In brief, this was a serious treatment of a serious plot which contained complex characters and relationships. For a largely developing cast and production team, it was a good choice and a vehicle for the continued development of this noted and well respected company.
