Kidstakes by Ray Lawler, 14 Feb 1996

 

Kidstakes by Ray Lawler

By Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC)

 Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne, until March 16, 1996

Reviewer: Kate Herbert, (reviewed around 14 Feb 1996)

 

If you are familiar with the story of The Summer of the 17th Doll, you'll know that it all ends unhappily ever after seventeen summers of blissful romance. In Kidstakes, the joyful start to the affairs is all the more poignant knowing they are doomed.

 

In 1937 the seventeenth year, summer-only relationships (perhaps a good idea??) between Olive and Roo, Nance and Barney began. Nance (Rosalind Hammond) is smart and ever the pragmatist. She knows the score and finally "marries out" after seventeen seasons. 

 

Neither Barney (Travis McMahon), a perky, unscrupulous and blindingly stupid canecutter, nor his faithful and honest mate, Roo (Andrew Blackman) are "prepared to chew the chain" of matrimony. Olive (Frances O'Connor) takes a chance on romance.

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She just wants what they've had this summer. "Marriage is not the only thing". Her solution is to " stand back and let 'em go", like the bee which five-year old Bubba traps in the hollyhock. They were out of their time knowing, even then, there are a thousand ways to have a relationship. They were fringe-dwellers on the moral constraints of their society - and perhaps too idealistic. They did not count on ageing and fear and change.

 

This is a beautifully realised production directed by Robin Nevin with sensitivity, subtlety and intense detail.  This whole talented ensemble expresses a rare warmth and generosity.  They look after the story, they look after each other and the show looks after itself.

 

Dickie Pouncett, (Aaron Blabey) Olive's dorky and insidiously ordinary love-lorn suitor, represents all that is suburban, domestic and repellent to all four lovers (and us?). Olive's mum, Emma (Sue Jones) is trapped in the post-depression fear of poverty and lost reputation. She is "never pleased by anything".

 

Tony Tripp's evocative period set from The Doll has a reprise in this production and Max Lambert's delicate piano over-scored with blues and swing numbers, emphasises the fragility of the emotional score.

 

This is a story of hope, love and passion not left to perish through fear or conservatism. It is deeply sad knowing its fate.

 

KATE HERBERT