Cloudburst by Steve Wheat, Oct 1, 1997

Cloudburst by Steve Wheat

at La Mama until Oct 12, 1997

Reviewed by Kate Herbert around 30 Sep 1997

Some relationships are simply to be weathered. Such is the case with the couple in Steve Wheat's play, Cloudburst, Beth (Sarah Chapman) and David (Craig Goddard) meet, fall passionately in love, live together then proceed to drive each other to distraction. Ring any bells?

Wheat's writing is intelligent, witty and often poetic. He seems fascinated with the structure of language, its infinite permutations. His characters use words as weapons or caresses depending on the state of their communications. They dodge and feint, avoiding real contact, skittering over the surface of their problems until the wounds start seeping.

Beth is 'ebullient' says David. David is 'amiable', says Beth, damning him in one gentle word. It becomes clear that Beth is damaged, bitter, closed off from her emotions and masking some terrible wound. David needs intimacy not space. He wants to crawl inside her. A recipe for disaster?

Wheat cleverly uses the continuing analogy of the storm, the impending cloudburst, to highlight the potentially explosive end to this love affair. Finally the skies open, the clouds burst. It is a great relief, like a cooling summer storm.

Goddard plays Dave with the right amount of jittery neediness while Chapman is intense and brittle as the often-dislikeable Beth. Having performed this show together for three seasons, their onstage relationship is strong even given the direct address to audience set amongst the dialogue.

Wheat's language allows the couple to set up patterns of behaviour. They repeat word games, trivia competitions, and whole conversations. Initially, they love the rapport these bring but finally the revisited conversations become arguments and taunts.

There is tragedy in Beth particularly but there are some lovely, warm, poetic scenes. The two, naked in their huge bathtub on stage, play and tease each other and us with a game of truth or dare which dredges up their pasts uncomfortably.

Up until the explosion towards the end of the play, the dynamic range of the performance was a little too narrow, and the acting was a tad too restrained or mannered. This is, of course, written into the characters to a great extent but the piece was crying out for out for a climax - which echoes the many references to orgasm in the text.

The play is smart, funny and titillating, which is a good combination.

KATE HERBERT