by Neil Cole
Beckett Theatre until
October 2, 1999
Reviewer: Kate
Herbert
"One thing
having mania did was give more time to think about my depression."
Alive at Williamstown Pier, Neil Cole's prize-winning play about his own
experience of manic-depression, is both funny and moving. Does this make it a
bi-polar play?
Dave (Ross Thompson) is an MP who cleans his car until it
cannot be any cleaner - so he buys a new one. He sleeps only occasionally.
During his mania, he dreams up elaborate and absurd schemes for his electorate,
such as making the local bowls club into an RSL club. The bowlers revolt.
The play works because it is autobiographical. The
experiences live because they are based in truth. Dramatically, the second half is stronger.
Dave's three weeks in a mental hospital take us on an emotional journey and
provide us with a second substantial character, Mick.
Mick, also a manic-depressive, is an uncontrollable yobbo
with a good heart. He heals Dave as much as any medication can. But his life is
a tragedy.
Peter Hosking as Mick is a sympathetic and lovable oaf. He
is the perfect foil for the twitching and confused Dave, who is played with
great sensitivity and truth by Thompson.
The rest of the ensemble (Carole Patullo, Gary Files,
Caroline Lee) performs with great humour and skill, a series of anonymous or
thinly drawn characters.
Director, Ernie Gray, who performed in the 1997 production
of the play, has kept the action moving swiftly and stylishly through the many
scene changes. There is some accompanying light, live jazz and a very clean
simple design of artificial grass, reminiscent of the bowls club that causes
Dave so much trouble.
This is a play with great warmth and humour but its
structure is a little awkward still, in spite of the rewriting. There is too
much narration, particularly from Dave's psychiatrist. (Caroline Lee) These
moments arise uncomfortably out of dialogue.
Dave's monologues to the audience provide some poetic
insight but they could well be integrated into the dialogue to give the
character depth. The doctor's speeches provide information about illness but
give the actor little character development or relationship with which to work.
It is, however, an entertaining and funny play with a point
to make about mental illness and its place in our community.
by Kate Herbert
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