The vigorous and innovative Hills Youth Theatre has spawned another youth offshoot. Last night, Acts on Avenue, a performance group for young adults, launched their production journey with Michael Gow’s Australian play “Away”. Directed by Harri Wolff (with assistance from Di Mason) a cast of 12 made the Stirling Theatre stage their own with an arresting presentation that captured the favourable attention of a small but most appreciative audience.
Set in 1960s Australia amidst a social and cultural backdrop of immigration from Europe and Great Britain, a better standard of living, and an involvement in an increasingly nasty war in Vietnam, Gow’s play is focussed mainly on three couples whilst they are away on holiday. Each couple is dealing with their own emotional issues in very different ways. School Principal, Roy Baker and his wife Coral grieve the horrific and senseless loss of their conscript son in the jungles of Vietnam. In so doing Coral has literally and understandably “gone to pieces”. She has fallen into a pit of depression that gives rise to out of character behaviours. Her more accepting and pragmatic husband Roy struggles bravely in ever increasingly despairing attempts to support and help her. Lucy Thompson as Coral traverses a convincing emotional pathway and hands in a performance she can be well proud of. Jack Rawlinson captures and presents us with a similarly believable series of responses in the face of his wife’s challenging behaviour. An excellent performance from both actors.
Jim (Benny Woodrow) and Gwen (Harri Wolff) are the parents of daughter Meg (Sasha Todorashko). Gwen tells of her past struggles with poverty and finally arriving at the economic and social status she strove to achieve. She has no intention of compromising her singular view of herself and her family. Wolff capably portrays Gwen’s need to be in charge, demonstrating a full understanding of the character and her driven need to control family matters. In particular she desires to control her daughter, (who exhibits a mind of her own,) and any relationship that Meg might pursue. Woodrow’s Jim, Gwen’s long suffering husband, is remarkably patient with her. He understands his wife’s nature, copes with it well and plays the role of mediator and pacifier. Both Woodrow and Wolff give commendable performances in their parental roles.
The third couple Vic and Harry are British migrants (ten pound Poms!) They both exude a genuine air of relief and happiness to be in Australia. But they too (mainly) disguise a family issue they have mutually resolved a way of dealing with. They are very proud of their son Tom (Tobias Watson) who has just starred as Puck in the school’s annual Shakespeare offering. They like to go away camping, sit on beaches and convene with nature in their own simple way. Both Jaimi Wilson (as Vic) and Ben Proeve (as Harry) convey a natural and easy affection for each other. To the credit of both actors, the chemistry they share on stage together is quite convincing and evokes a likeable couple who readily earn our empathy. Rick (Thomas Thorne) is a newlywed on his honeymoon. He has finished his apprenticeship, got a job and married. But already things are not going well. He is confused, bemused and definitely unhappy. He is an odd wild card in this playing deck of “Family Holiday Away” cards, and, when perchance all of these families finally intersect all of their cards are revealed.
Ensemble/Chorus members Annabel McGregor, Zoe Morgan and Eden Lane all contribute effectively to the narrative in minor roles as well as in song and dance. The “couple” I have mentioned but not yet referenced are the teenage children Meg and Tom. Todorashko deals with Meg’s range of emotions in a mature and workmanlike manner. She urges her mother to relax and go with the flow. She wonders how her father can be so accepting and compliant. As Tom, Watson also gives a well modulated performance. He, like all of his fellow cast members, has a relaxed stage presence. He connects with his audience with confidence and clarity. Once again both of these actors contribute admirably to a well presented and evenly acted piece of theatre. Director Wolff has crafted a play on stage that is straight forward and therefore pleasing. There is an overall essence of production simplicity in the way it looks and feels. It works very well. Acts on Avenue can be well pleased with their first offering of “Away”. It certainly showcases the pool of youthful talent that Hills Youth Theatre continues to nurture.
