By Tom Davis. The Street Theatre. 22 Nov 2015
There’s certainly no shortage of Holocaust stories. Given the scale and nature of the atrocities inflicted on millions of people during World War Two, new works exploring this subject are still being produced to this day. The Chain Bridge, named after the bridge that joins the two sides of Budapest, is the latest to be added to this extensive artistic archive, though from a fresh angle.
Imre (Peter Cook), a young Australian-Hungarian writer, is struggling to finish a book about his mother, Eva’s (Geraldine Turner) struggles growing up in Hungary during the Nazi occupation and rise of Communism. However, some archival digging leads his wife Sarah (Kate Hosking) to believe Eva’s stories are fiction.
At a family dinner with Eva and her close friends Katalin (Zsuzsi Soboslay) and Jozsef (PJ Williams), Sarah, fearing for husband’s reputation, pulls a loose thread that slowly unravels Eva’s murky past. This then exposes a less palatable reality for all in attendance.
The build up in this production is slow and smouldering, with Eva, Katalin, Jozsef and even Imre literally dancing around the truth. One can’t help but share Sarah’s frustration as she pleads for a straight answer from the stubbornly evasive Eva and attempts to understand her husband’s reluctance to press the matter. Starting as a mere trickle, the dam wall concealing the real tale of this foursome gradually gives way to a flood of memories – going to dark and sordid places one never foresees; even in this context.
As a collective the performers form a deep and fearless connection, never shying away from the extraordinarily complex demands of their parts. While Cook and Hosking are both highly capable actors, the chemistry between them as a married couple is a little rigid to begin with. However, this dissolves as the intensity increases and they rise to the task of portraying other, more challenging characters.
Turner as Eva exudes all the assurance one would expect of an actor of her calibre, confidently lighting the way for the production through its shadowy twists and turns – with a convincing Hungarian accent to boot. Soboslay and Williams are sneaky as the married couple, Katalin and Jozsef – leading one to believe they are sweet but insignificant bit players, when suddenly their own intriguing story erupts, showcasing their astonishing range of talent.
The poetic script by Tom Davis is beautifully written, and legitimised with what appears to be extensive cultural consultation and input from members of the Hungarian community. It is clear that an awful lot of Davis’s heart and soul has gone into this labour of love, and it has been a fruitful collaboration with director Caroline Stacey.
It’s also the colour, movement and literally explosive sound (warning to those who startle easily!) by the creative team (Imogen Keen, Kimmo Vennonen and Gillian Schwab) of The Chain Bridge that makes it such a thrilling ride. Though the tension builds gradually there is nary a lull, with frequent, vivid transportation to the near and distant past always nipping at the cast’s heels.
What is really most fascinating about this powerful and strangely uplifting production though is its concluding philosophy. Without giving away too much, it is essentially about acknowledging the survivor behind a story and freeing them from the burden of history – allowing them to move on from the person that circumstances forced them to be. Bravo to all!
Deborah Hawke
When: 21 to 29 Nov
Where: The Street Theatre
Bookings: thestreet.org.au
