Theatre on Chester: Away by Michael Gow - Review by Kimberlea Smith

The Theatre on Chester is celebrating their 70th anniversary by revisiting plays from their past. First up is Michael Gow’s Away, an Australian classic that is, at its heart, an exploration of grief. 

Away is an ambitious play that can be difficult to stage due to its scale. Tonally, it shifts between comedy and tragedy. (But never both at the same time.) The director must also figure out how to work in Shakespeare, clowning, supernatural elements, a play within a play and a theatrical storm into the staging. Director Carla Moore, pulling double duty as set designer, wisely keeps things simple, allowing her cast to do the heavy lifting. Moore’s set design is complemented nicely by Mike Brew’s light design and Charlotte Wiltshire’s sound design. 

It would be easy for any one of these characters to be one-note caricatures, but the cast have created nuanced characters that feel lived in and have depth. Anna Desjardins is the highlight of the show as Gwen. From her body language to her line delivery, Desjardins’ Gwen is spiky and confrontational, showing disdain for everyone and everything around her. Nevertheless, Desjardins turns her into the most interesting character onstage, ensuring that she is a character that you can empathise with, even if you don’t like her. 

Cam Ralph is equally wonderful as Jim, Gwen’s affable and complaisant husband. Ralph is a charismatic performer that has a grounding presence on stage, and he never allows Jim to veer into a caricature of a long-suffering husband. It was lovely to watch the dynamic between Ralph and Tara Bishop who played Meg, Gwen and Jim’s daughter. The relationship between the two characters felt genuine and endearing. 

Martin Bell is pitch-perfect as high school principal Roy. Bell balances Roy’s grief over the death of his son with concern and frustration over his wife (Coral, played by Karen Pattinson) being consumed by her own grief. Roy’s pain is pushed to the background in the pair’s interactions - partially out of his own desire to be seen as respectable, but also because Coral’s grief is all-consuming - creating tension between the two. 

Tracey Okeby Lucan and Ian Boland are delightful as Vic and Harry, effervescent and joyful. The two actors played off each other wonderfully, and Lucas Dockrill does a stellar job as their son Tom, who is at turns awkward and vulnerable. 

Oscar Baird delivers another standout performance covering multiple roles, deftly moving between the dramatic and comedic moments of the show. Kate Kelly, also appearing in multiple roles, displays some wonderful comedic timing. Ava Calhoun, Elle Holland and Scarlet Moore (who also assistant directed) round out the ensemble. 

Under the guidance of Moore, the cast and crew have delivered a poignant production. The only fault on opening night was the cast’s tendency to drop their volume during the play’s more emotional moments, causing bits of dialogue to be missed. Playing until 2 May, this production of Away is a moving and mesmerising season opener that is sure to be a hit.