Adelaide Fringe. Yabba Productions. Holden Street Theatres. 6 Mar 2014
If you are unfamiliar with Kenneth Cook's book or Canadian Ted Kotcheff's movie, Wake In Fright, please return your Australian passport - you haven't been paying attention. Wikipedia says Nick Cave called Wake in Fright "the best and most terrifying film about Australia in existence." Well, of course he would, it's right up his alley. I was appalled and enthralled viewing the 2009 restored digital re-release of the movie, and this stage adaptation by Bob Pavlich - which he also designed and directed for the 2010 world premiere - is a terrific piece of work.
You know what? I'm not going to tell you anything about it. If you're familiar with the story, I don't need to, and if you're not, well, why not accompany Grant when he lobs into the outback town of Bundanyabba for a night in transit, but instead is engulfed in a beer-fuelled nightmare of 1950s hospitality Australian-style far removed from latte society?
From the opening and all through the play, guitarist Mick Hansby tickles the strings to yield David Wright's tension filled and brooding soundtrack. All set designer Darren Lever needed was some rough wooden chairs, three tables and plenty of Cooper's cans to facilitate the pubs of Bundanyabba and all other locations fashioned out of the various arrangements of this sparse furniture.
The ensemble unfailingly captures the crudity and menace inherent that might have inhabited an isolated and heat stroked outback town. We, hopefully, smugly look back at '50s rural Australia and cringe at the pub culture, insecurity and casual brawling, while others will see today's urbanised version in king hit punches. And with little steps, Grant goes down and down and down in self-degradation until there is only one way out.
With exception, the characterisations were well developed yet somewhat unskillfully played. Leigh Ormsby as the traveller Grant had by far the most difficult role but failed to convince in any of the states of drunkenness, exhilaration, fear, shame or despair. On the other hand, Madeliene Stewart's Janette was seductive and dangerous, while Phil Roberts as her father and in other parts was authentic ocker. Stuart Duffield and Jacob Pruden were energetically awesome as a couple of crudely rambunctious ex-service lads exerting a force like vice jaws on the hapless Grant. Unfortunately, they were prone to losing vocal clarity in situations of anger and squeezed out the space for menace to linger in. Shannon Woollard showed little of the world-weariness necessary for his Doc Tydon, and Kurt Mottershead just got by with his town cop. Clare Callow was every bit a bored or jaded country girl in her roles.
Director Renee Palmer pieced together a graphical and confronting portrayal. Getting the best out of the actors aside, this is a must-see production of an Australian classic.
David Grybowski
When: 9 to 15 Mar
Where: Holden Street Theatres - The Studio
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
