THEATRE
Written by Dennis Kelly
By Melbourne Theatre Company
At Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars:****
This review is published only on this blog with a verbal review on Arts Weekly 3MBS on Sat Nov 5, 2022.
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| Nikki Shiels in Girl & Boys image Jeff Busby |
The first hour of Dennis Kelly’s solo play is pretty damned funny, lulling the audience into a false sense of security that they are watching a comedy. However, the hints and cues keep coming, vague non-specific indicators that all is not well in the world of this woman who is evidently a successful documentary film producer, married to a passionate, supportive man who she has always considered a “doer” who encouraged her in her chosen career. She has two young children: Danny the rowdy boy and Leanne her orderly, smart daughter.
Directed deftly and vigorously by Kate Champion on a sparse set (Marg Horwell), Shiels’ performance is riveting, credible and nuanced, shifting from comical to tragic by the end.
Shiels addresses the audience directly with bold, honest, revealing and expletive-riddled stories about the character’s life and her colourful opinions. Speaking in a broad, working-class London accent, she trawls through her youthful past follies, dredging up images of booze-soaked, sex-filled partying, her chequered work history and dubious lovers – the life she lived until she met her husband and settled comfortably into marriage, motherhood and her award-winning career.
Scattered between the character’s evocative and revelatory monologues, Shiels brings the two little children to life as the woman plays with her recalcitrant son and more serious and obedient daughter. These playful scenes depict the joy and love she experiences with her children.
To divulge this woman’s shock revelations about the more recent, awful events in her life would be an unforgivable spoiler. Suffice to say I gasped, clutched my hand to my heart and jammed a hand over one ear (and would have covered both if I could), trying to avoid hearing her story.
Some dialogue is perhaps too didactic, preaching about problematic behaviours of men and the dialogue is perhaps more graphic or gratuitous than it needs to be to make its point. The gear shift in the latter part of the play is somewhat jarring.
Despite these small quibbles with the script, Shiels' performance in Boys & Girls is compelling and absorbing, taking us on an unexpected and shocking ride through laughter and pain.
by Kate Herbert
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| Nikki Shiels in Girl & Boys image Jeff Busby |
CAST
Performer Nikki Shiels
Leanne (image) Hannah Bickerton
Danny (image) Jared Bickerton
CREATIVE TEAM
Director Kate Champion
Original Set & Costume Designer Marg Horwell
Lighting Designer Amelia Lever-Davidson
Composer & Sound Designer Sidney Millar
Voice & Dialect Coach Geraldine Cook-Dafner
Set & Video Designer Romanie Harper
Associate Costume Designer Sophie Woodward
Assistant Director Stephen Phillips
Mime Consultant Steph Kehoe
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