By Duncan Ley. Everyman Theatre/Canberra Theatre Centre. The Courtyard Studio. 4 Sep 2013
The film industry has developed and utilised computer-generated imagery to the point where many moviegoers have become accustomed to this wow-factor and now expect nothing less. Yet, as the mob behind Home at the End have proven, theatre can achieve this same level of magic at a fraction of the cost and have an even greater impact on an audience.
A whimsical, creatively constructed production, Home at the End utilises clever scripting and makeshift theatrical effects to tell a story consisting of many intricate, beautifully crafted layers.
Joe (Isaac Reilly) is a struggling writer with a supportive and good-humoured wife, Andy (Helen McFarlane) and a young daughter called Molly (Amy Dunham). While fretting over the content of his new book, a story about his Nazi grandfather’s past, his wife feels he should ditch the serious content and write more creatively.
One afternoon, Joe and his family are having lunch at a café, when tragedy strikes and he unwittingly betrays his family. What follows, in a non-linear order, is Joe’s downward spiral as the reality of his split second action hits home and he descents into a nightmarish world of guilt and torment.
Attempting to navigate the mental health profession and haunted by the memory of his wife, he becomes unhinged and homeless, withdrawing into the comfort of his writing.
It is Joe’s elegant and quirky tales inspired by Andy’s suggestions that are the highlight of Home at the End, played out through the mediums of shadow puppetry and a venetian-inspired vignette. The sounds, aesthetics and pathos of these imaginative fables were utterly endearing, and the energy of the cast to bring them spectacularly to life was inspiring.
What also made this production so engaging was the highly effective use of the absurd, with the tragic storyline interrupted in regular intervals by injections of grotesque and droll surrealism not dissimilar to Requiem for a Dream. This served to heighten the sense of Joe’s confusion and despair, while efficiently highlighting the inadequacies of the social welfare system through a more digestible format.
Isaac Reilly as Joe and Helen McFarlane as Andy were a magnificent duo, with a turbo charged chemistry and an uninhibited rapport. Reilly really plumbed the depths as the lead character, and easily carried the cast through the peaks and troughs. The multi talented and sultry McFarlane was also compelling in her antagonistic role, providing a strong and unwavering contrast to Joe’s fragility. Wearing a life-sized puppet fastened on to her front, Amy Dunham as Molly navigated her unusual role as both puppeteer and character with skill and convincing innocence. In retrospect, I’m not sure a child actor would have brought the right depth to the part and so this unusual hybrid was actually quite an innovative compromise.
The rest of the exuberant and gifted cast (Jordan Best, Laura Dawson, Geoffrey Borny, Duncan Diver, Alice Ferguson, Will Huang and Chris Zuber) were a class act, showcasing an impressive range and a penchant for detail. The investment each performer made in this show was readily evident, and as a team they were dynamic.
The multi-functional set and lighting design combined were wonderfully versatile, providing a backdrop convincing enough to entirely transport and absorb you into Joe’s multi-dimensional reality for the duration of the play. These aesthetics played an integral part in the production, and the partnership between the designers, director Jarrad West and the cast was a fruitful one.
Home at the End was an intriguing and intensely confronting work that points to the enduring consequences of the decisions we make when faced with life’s provocations. It’s got more thrilling twists and turns than I’ve seen in any film of late and ran circles around any simulated three-dimensional entertainment you are likely to experience.
Deborah Hawke
When: 4 to 14 Sep
Where: The Courtyard Studio
Bookings: caberratheatrecentre.com.au
