Admissions, MTC, 10 March 2022 ****

THEATRE

Written by Joshua Harmon, by Melbourne Theatre Company

At Southbank Theatre, Sumner, until 9 April 2022

Reviewer: Kate Herbert on Thurs 10 March 2022

Stars: ****

 This review published only on this blog. KH

Kat Stewart, WIlliam McKenna- Admissions - pic by Jeff Busby

Joshua Harmon’s play, Admissions, is a scathing, satirical look at the uneasy balancing of diversity and privilege in the private, exclusive education system in the US.

 

Kat Stewart is credible as the well-intentioned but febrile and Sherri Rosen-Mason, who is head of admissions at an exclusive high school where her husband, Bill, played with composure by Simon Maiden, is the principal.

 

They scramble to achieve their self-imposed diversity quotas of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, a process that requires wealthy donors of scholarships. They’ve dragged their diversity percentage up from 6% to 20% during the process of the play. No mean feat!

 

But it all goes off the rails for Sherri and Bill’s family when their academically successful son, Charlie, played with almost hysterical fervour and passion by William McKenna, has his application to Yale deferred, while his mixed-race, family friend is accepted. What comes next challenges the fine social justice aims of Sherri and Bill and reveals cracks in their resolve.

 

Admissions is a challenging and thought-provoking play with a biting edge and brisk, sometimes frenetic dialogue that spirals into hilarity and hysteria.

 

Director, Gary Abrahams and his versatile cast, embrace the pithy dialogue and confronting issues to take the audience on a wild and breathless ride.

 

Charlie's rant about what he perceives to be the inequality and injustice of affirmative action for people of colour is an eye-opener that will shake the blind faith of some. Despite the fact that it ends with a Nazi salute, the audience applauded – probably not cheering the sentiments, but Harmon's inspired writing and McKenna's performance.

 

 

If you see Admissions, it will test your ethics and willingness to sacrifice your own safe, privileged and advantageous position for the sake of someone with fewer options. It will force you to examine your own world view and see whether you can practice what you preach.

 

by Kate Herbert

 

 

Director – Gary Abrahams

Set design – Jacob Batista

Costume –Kat Chan

Lighting design– Amelia Lever-Davidson

Composer – James Henry

 

Cast

Kat Stewart - Sherri

Heidi Arena - Ginnie

Simon Maiden - Bill

William McKenna - Charlie

Deidre Rubenstein - Roberta