I can’t tell you what happens at the end of this play, but even if this
weren’t such a strong production, the twist would be worth the price of
admission. Free Rain Theatre Company’s latest offering, The Shape of Things,
works with engaging material by novelist, screenwriter and playwright
Neil LaBute. The play tells the story of Adam, a nail-chewing
English-lit geek who manages to ask out Evelyn, a beautiful and
free-spirited art student. Through their relationship, Adam is
transformed from hopeless to hot, much to the surprise of long-time
friends Phil and Jenny. As Evelyn’s presence continues to impact on
Adam’s life, the audience is faced with questions of morality, art,
beauty, love, and friendship.
Because this play includes only four characters, one slip in casting
could have derailed the entire project. Thankfully smart choices have
been made, and LaBute would likely be pleased with the casting of Leah Baulch as Evelyn, a character who brings new meaning to the words ‘artistic temperament.’ Baulch
has a strength to her acting that stands out in the more challenging
scenes. At the same time, her natural grace didn’t always gel with the
rougher sides of Evelyn’s character. But Baulch was always
immersed in her role, and elicited occasional gasps from the audience
with her delivery of Evelyn’s heartless, self-assured lines.
Chris Palframan brought an authenticity to the role of Adam in
both his ‘geek’ and ‘gorgeous’ guises. His transformation, although
relatively quick, was never jarring - a testament to smart costume
design as well as good acting. There’s an awkwardness to Adam that
could have come across as wooden, but for the most part Palframan
kept this as natural as possible. His emotional final scenes were
particularly moving, and it was great to care about this character
rather than simply follow his story.
Pat Gordon was all too convincing as Phil, the loud-mouthed undergrad with a chip on his shoulder. Gordon brought humour and interest to this role, despite the fact that Phil doesn’t provide much in terms of emotional range. Hannah Meredith
was particularly impressive as ‘nice girl’ Jenny, and created one of
the high points of the play with her final, bitter speech to
Evelyn.
First time director Soren Jensen was nominated for his
acting ability in the 2007 Canberra Area Theatre Awards, but his
directing skills are also worthy of attention. Jensen and his
cast have clearly taken time to work on the pacing and delivery of each
scene, and the result is dramatic without being overstated.
The set design was sparse yet clever, supporting the acting without
distracting from the story. The use of the projector screen was
especially creative, combining art stills and video to add depth to the
overall production. The soundtrack, taken from Canberra band Casual
Projects’ latest album, was generally effective, although occasionally
the music did interfere slightly with the flow of the play.
The tagline for this play is ‘strive to make art, but change the world.’ The Shape of Thingsmay not change the world, but it is an enjoyable piece of art.
Free Rain Theatre Company presents
THE SHAPE OF THINGS by Neil Labute
Venue: Courtyard Studio – Canberra Theatre Dates/Times: Frid 23rd and Sat 24th May at 8pm
Sat 24th May at 2pm, Sun 25th May at 5pm
Wed 28th May at 6.30pm
Thurs 29th, Fri 30th Sat 31st May at 8pm Sat 31st May at 2pm Tickets: Preview and Sat Mats all tickets $18.00
Wed: Pay what you can at the door
Other shows: Adults $27, Concessions $22
Bookings: 62752700
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I can’t tell you what happens at the end of this play, but even if this
weren’t such a strong production, the twist would be worth the price of
admission. Free Rain Theatre Company’s latest offering, The Shape of Things,
works with engaging material by novelist, screenwriter and playwright
Neil LaBute. The play tells the story of Adam, a nail-chewing
English-lit geek who manages to ask out Evelyn, a beautiful and
free-spirited art student. Through their relationship, Adam is
transformed from hopeless to hot, much to the surprise of long-time
friends Phil and Jenny. As Evelyn’s presence continues to impact on
Adam’s life, the audience is faced with questions of morality, art,
beauty, love, and friendship. 
