THEATRE
At La Mama Courthouse, during April 2022
Virtual season 23 April to 7 May 2022
Reviewer: Kate Herbert - review of recorded show
Stars: ***
This review published only on this blog. KH
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| Cast: Dear Ida- pic from virtual season |
Dear Ida is a performance about the positive and often healing role of dance halls and dancing during World War II in Australia, all presented as a collage of verbal and physical stories based on oral histories gathered by the writer and director, Lisa Petty.
The play interweaves scenes and monologues about public and private attitudes and behaviours related to the dance halls, including scenes featuring young women doing their dull, daily chores, excitedly singing popular, wartime tunes, preparing for dances and attending the dance halls.
Scattered amongst the scenes are short monologues from Australians at home, a soldier at the front, an Archbishop, a woman who was an exhibition dancer, edicts from government, news items about shortages, uncontrollable girls or the rise in syphilis, and a moving story from the sister of two soldiers who died at 22.
Characters comment on American servicemen who charmed the women with their jitterbug and other attractions. Girls who fraternised with Americans were abused as ‘trash’. One young woman wanted to accept an American’s proposal but, sadly, her mother disallowed it.
A repeated character speaking between early scenes is Harold, a young soldier who departed from Kyneton for the front, and who begins each monologue with ‘Dear Ida’, followed by his latest letter to his ‘very best friend’ at home, Ida.
There are reports of deaths and men missing in action. One love story and the death of a soldier is represented in a long, emotive dance sequence. This and other non-verbal, movement-based sequences add lyrical moments, but seem out of sync with the scenes and monologues, as if they are from a different piece with a totally different style.
Faye Bendrups (keyboards) and Gary Samolin (drums) provide evocative musical accompaniment
the quality of which often outshines the performances. Their music, as well as recorded wartime track and songs sung by cast, are highlights.
These include the Lambeth Walk, It’s Only a Paper Moon, (‘It wouldn’t be make-believe if you believe in me’), Now Is the Hour, a mournful tune about a loved one leaving for the war, (My mum used to sing it as a lullaby.), and a finale of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.
The greatest strength of Dear Ida is the truth of the storytelling that comes from real people telling their experience of joy and pain during World War II in Australia and how dance helped them through this terrible period.
by Kate Herbert
Credits
Created by Lisa Petty
Directed by Lisa Petty
Assistant director Tom Halls
Performed by Faye Bendrups, Tom Halls, Sally Grage-Moore, Georgia Malaxos, Chanelle Sheehan, Justin Tan, Oliver Tapp and Gary Samolin
Lighting design by Greg Carroll
Music director Faye Bendrups
Stage manager Olivia Walker
Photography credit Helen Madden, Darren Gills
Publicity Elise Tebbutt
Publicity Consultant Marli Kelly
Media consultant Kayla McCarthy
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