Sanctuary by David Williamson, Playbox, REVIEW, 6 May 1994

THEATRE

At Merlyn Theatre Malthouse, by Playbox Theatre until June 1994

Reviewer: Kate Herbert around 6 May 1994

This review was published in The Melbourne Times after 6 May 1994

 

David Williamson believes many of the world's problems are caused by that pesky ole male hormone, testosterone which forces men to compete for the highest status, the last word, the most desirable babe. "Mine's bigger 'n yours".

 

Williamson has chosen to say this in a play of a smaller scale than usual. Sanctuary is an intimate script set in Shaun Gurton's awesome granite design in the Merlyn Theatre with only two actors: the inimitable Robert Grubb and Felix Williamson (Yes, he's related). Direction by Aubrey Mellor is brisk and taut so that the play moves along at a cracking pace.

 

The play deals with personal and global issues with less social satire and fewer glib lines than Brilliant Lies or Money and Friends and is dramatically more successful. Sanctuary examines man's capacity to sell out his beliefs for a buck (40 million bucks in King's case) and exposes the hypocrisy beneath the moral indignation of our political watchdogs.

 

Grubb plays Robert "Bob" King, a voluble, charismatic and internationally renowned political journalist who has relinquished a lucrative US TV news contract in order to improve his golf handicap in the North of Queensland. He lives in a millionaire's fortress-like estate, his "sanctuary" from the evils of humanity which he has loathed in his journalistic peregrinations.

 

Enter a pompous, anally retentive, PhD student of Communications, John Alderston (Williamson) to shatter the outward calm of King's luxury. He is writing about King's colourful career but rather than doing a lively psychological study, he prefers to embed impeccably researched facts in long-winded verbiage. His social and personal style is in direct opposition to that of his subject, the florid rogue journo.

 

Felix Williamson looks out of his depth as the nerd although, admittedly, the first act is chockas with information-giving which can be unsuccessful dialogue.  His performance lacked subtlety, being either poorly articulated or bellowed. He is no match for a seasoned performer like Grubb who is vivid and convincing as the shameless self-promoter. I suspect the performance may settle after recovering from first night nerves.

 

The script takes a quantum leap in the second act. The often-stilted rhetoric of the first act gives way to a shocking, violent and more emotionally charged scenario. This holier-than- thou, politically correct dork, reveals a dark and inhumane streak which makes King's choice to bury the truth about the US army in Guatamala look like hiding your jam sandwiches at school.

 

KATE HERBERT