Adelaide
\nTheatre<\/p>\n
Love in a Changing Climate<\/p>\n
Between Two Waves
\nby Ian Meadows
\nState Theatre Company Umbrella Program.
\nThe Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide
\nDuration: 110 minutes.
\nOctober 11. Tickets: $ 20 – $ 30.
\nBookings: BASS 131 246 or Bakehouse box office.
\nUntil October 25.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou get to the gate and realize you are back where you started, or something.\u201d In a scrunched-up precis of the last lines of T.S. Eliot\u2019s \u201cLittle Gidding\u201d, Daniel, the central character of Between Two Waves<\/i>, describes an exploration, and a crisis, that takes him, and the audience for Ian Meadows\u2019 bold and imaginative play, full circle.<\/p>\n
First performed in 2012 by Griffin Theatre, and now ably revived by director Corey McMahon as part of State Theatre Company\u2019s Umbrella program, Between Two<\/i> Waves<\/i> asks questions about the future and what it may hold. For Daniel, a young climatologist, invited to write government policy on climate change, it is a disturbing challenge to him as a scientist. And when he meets and falls in love with the free-spirited Fiona, he is also forced to reflect on the implications of parenthood in an uncertain world.<\/p>\n
Crisply directed by McMahon, this production is well-suited to the intimate confines of the Bakehouse. Olivia Zanchetta\u2019s thrifty design features a box stage with a skylight and slatted windows, serving scenes in Daniel\u2019s apartment and office. The lighting by Nic Mollison, is probing and, at times, exhilaratingly warm, and Jason Sweeney\u2019s sound design subtly underscores the shifts in mood and gathering anxiety of the narrative.<\/p>\n
The performances are excellent. As Daniel, a role originally played by the playwright in the Griffin production, Matt Crook is at his versatile best, uncovering complexities and hidden personal griefs as the boyishly nerdy scientist becomes increasingly weighed down by his intellectual responsibilities. Ellen Steele\u2019s lively Fiona, is an unlikely match for the tightly-wound Daniel, but Meadows\u2019 portrait of a developing (and unraveling) not-quite thirty-something relationship is fresh and, judging by the young first-night audience\u2019s response, perceptively drawn. Fiona\u2019s mix of confidence and vulnerability is a familiar one but Steele brings interesting and touchingly believable inflections to the character.<\/p>\n
As Grenelle, the insurance assessor, Elena Carapetis spars well with Daniel\u2019s initial peevishness and, with good writing from Meadows, her performance develops as the scientist\u2019s state of mind deteriorates. As Jimmy, Daniel\u2019s supervisor and mentor, James Edwards provides a valuable contrast in temperament important to the play\u2019s concerns.<\/p>\n
In a year when Adelaide\u2019s second-tier companies have been relatively quiet, this fine production is a welcome arrival. Between Two Waves <\/i>is a new Australian play well deserving of another staging and its themes have become even more topical since it was written. In its depiction of an ethically and emotionally burdened scientist whose warnings go unheeded, another Eliot quote comes to mind – \u201cAfter such knowledge, what forgiveness?\u201d<\/p>\n
Murray Bramwell<\/p>\n
\u201cLove in a Changing Climate\u201d, The Australian, October 14, 2014, p.14.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Adelaide Theatre Love in a Changing Climate Between Two Waves by Ian Meadows State Theatre Company Umbrella Program. The Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide Duration: 110 minutes. October 11. Tickets: $ 20 – $ 30. Bookings: BASS 131 246 or Bakehouse box office. Until October 25. \u201cYou get to the gate and realize you are back where you started, or something.\u201d In a scrunched-up precis of the last lines of T.S. Eliot\u2019s \u201cLittle Gidding\u201d, Daniel, the central character of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,5,16,14,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-31","category-archive","category-australian-texts","category-state-theatre-company","category-theatre"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2436"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2437,"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2436\/revisions\/2437"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/murraybramwell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}