Left – Danny Adcock and Martin Jacobs. Cover – Robin Goldsworthy. Photos – John MarmarasWith advance apologies to the companies coming into the Old Fitz in the next 6 months, I wish they’d put themselves on hold, so that the current show, This Much Is True could play for the rest of the year. Not that I am suggesting for a moment that the quality of upcoming productions of this well curated theatre is to be queried, but it would be difficult to find the equal of a play such as This Much Is True that fits so exquisitely in the place. The Old Fitz is the spiritual home of This Much Is True, a play within a pub that exudes community and camaraderie, with a clan of misfits, miscreants and definite non mainstreamers.
This Much Is True is the third in what is now Louis Nowra’s 'Lewis trilogy', that began with Summer of the Aliens and continued with Cosi.
In This Much Is True, Lewis is a writer recently moved into woo woo world of Woolloomooloo, and quickly been embraced by the tribe who water hole at the local pub, The Rising Sun.
There’s Cass, who has had his finger in many a pie, from Army to wrestling manager, a functioning alcoholic who has been on and off the wagon, and hitched his hopes to many more. Danny Adcock attacks the role with a dynamic dexterity of diction and action.
Clarrie, aka Chemical Clarrie, who has been breaking bad long before Walter White. Martin Jacobs is excellent as the eccentric chemist, ice baker to the Bikies, kidnap victim of the Lebs.
Wesley, the bi polar high flyer whose death wish is to shoot up whilst shipwrecked between a whore’s thighs, a louche and loose performance from Ashley Lyons.
Malcolm, an East End Londoner whose had the accent knocked out by elocution, a refined bovver boy whose career as a casino debt collector is in decline, finely played by Alan Dukes.
And Venus, brash, brassy, busty female impersonator, a boisterous, vulgar turn in fade glam and tranny vocalism by Justin Stewart Cotta.
The only girl in this boy brigade of barflys is the barmaid is Gretel, drama school dropout and philosophy student, saving up for a trip to Mexico. Joanna Downing is dead set charming, an Alice in a wonderland through a looking glass, darkly.
Into their orbit comes Rhys, an investment inveigler, a Judas in cherubic disguise. Robin Goldsworthy's affable performance makes his character's conniving all the more appalling and pitiable.
As Lewis, Septimus Caton is marvellously mellifluous as our narrative tour guide, a participating observer of this maelstrom, pitched into the mix by making an explosive entrance to Zoot's version of Eleanor Rigby.
This Much Is True's production values are pitch perfect, from Anna Gardiner’s set design of faded piss elegance of peeling postered walls, Matt Cox' pin point lighting, Martelle Hunt's 'fashionating' costume design, and Jed Silver sound design, literally the siren call of the scene.
Director Toby Schmitz ring masters the circus with an economy of time and pace, putting play and players through the hoops, keeping the tightrope between comedy and tragedy taut and terrific, and exhibiting an alacrity in the acrobatics and juggling of seamless scene change.
There's not a bum note in Nowra's script and every actor is on song. The hackneyed phrase, “writes like an angel” comes to mind, and this much is true – Nowra does write like an angel, the best kind, dark and fallen. If the first duty of theatre is to be theatrical, then This Much Is True truly fulfils that duty with two hours of convivial, vicarious, riotous and compelling fun.
Red Line Productions presents
THIS MUCH IS TRUE
by Louis Nowra
Directed by Toby Schmitz
Venue: Old Fitz Theatre | 129 Dowling Street (Cnr Cathedral Street), Woolloomooloo NSW
Dates: 12 July – 12 August 2017
Tickets: $42 – $35
Bookings: www.redlineproductions.com.au
