Melbourne Reviews

Every day, two hundred thousand cars cross Melbourne’s enormous West Gate Bridge. Incrementally rising and descending over those giant spans, how many people in all of those vehicles still think to themselves, "This is the bit that collapsed!"

If you’re a younger Melbournian, chances are you don’t know at all. Awareness and connection to an event that occurred over half a century ago naturally fades, but it does seem utterly extraordinary that an incident involving such an iconic piece of our city’s infrastructure is not more etched into our collective consciousness.

At 11.50am on October 15 1970, 35 men fell to their death as their place of work gave way from under them. To the river bed below, plummeted not just those unfortunate workers but the hopes and aspirations of so many more in their proximity. Ordinary families, many of them new to Australia and Melbourne, found themselves forever at the centre of Australia’s worst and deadliest industrial disaster.

Like the building of the bridge itself, West Gate is a working-class story, an immigrant story, a story that would bring about sweeping changes to workplace safety laws in this country for the better and hopefully, for forever.

A story that literally spans and connects Melbourne.

In creating this work for the stage, playwright Dennis McIntosh aimed to give voice to those who fell silent. Meticulously researched, his play draws upon the findings of the 1971 Royal Commission and conversations with survivors and their families – the result is a heartfelt, painful and haunting exploration of truth and an invitation for legacy and remembrance. In a staged retelling of events, it would be impossible to share the story of every person affected but in cleverly focusing on just a few well illustrated characters and relationships, there is an essence that hopefully honours all.

An analysis of a tragedy on this scale makes it necessary for technical detail, the why and how and the before can’t be overlooked for it as much a part of the story of West Gate as the aftermath. McIntosh’s in depth understanding of this event brings forth the kind of clarity that builds tension while simultaneously amplifying industrial target driven indifference and subterfuge.

There’s an incredible authenticity in McIntosh’s dialogue, unapologetic and instantly recognisable – a tone that absolutely succeeds and makes good on his promise to honour all those affected. His characters symbolically embody those who died, as well as those who were left to rebuild, the bridge and their lives. The English immigrant, who believes 10 Pound affords him more privilege and a faster track to assimilation than his proud Italian co worker, the union strongman of probable Irish descent, rogues and larikins of the western suburbs, the stoic Italian widow – all stacked up against a managerial body taking directives from London that plays out like an Australian war flick.

The cast of eight deliver astonishingly good work resulting in a powerful ensemble piece – standing out however, is Daniela Farinacci; staggeringly good and gut wrenching as Frankie, a character who holds and embodies the grief of everyone of those families. Amplifying her loss is Steve Bastoni’s proud and joyfully optimistic Victor – a couple we meet separately, on opposite sides of tragedy, but through the eloquence of this script and the intricacies of both performances, we see exactly who they were together.

Darcy Kent, brings real dimension to Scrapper, a character who traverses the before and after with real growth, likewise, Rohan Nicol as Union organiser Pat and Simon Maiden as Vinny are both powerful and often hilarious in performances that are equal part compassion and crass.

All of these characters and all of these performers deliver for the work and extraordinarily bring a genuine company camaraderie that will resonate deeply for anyone with direct connection to this hideous event.

Kudos indeed to set designer Christina Smith for an impressive solution to this play. Her simple starting point of an instantly recognisable Westgate support column later reveals a bright seventies kitchen shrouded above by twisted metal, riveted beams and struts, cruel and haunting across a grief stricken family home.

"It’s our Fucken Bridge" proudly claims construction worker and union organiser Pat – the same might be said in praise of 'our' state theater company for bringing this powerful, vital and very Melbourne centric story to stage.

West Gate is a story that literally spans and connects our city and this telling of it will make you laugh, probably cry, make you proud and after all that – encourage you to join a union!