Review: Love Song

Darlinghurst Theatre’s Love Song is a reasonably simple, nicely acted, funny/sad four-hander about the redemptive power of love, even, or perhaps particularly, when it occurs in unexpected places.

Beane (Jonathan Gavin) is a withdrawn, more than slightly dysfunctional young man who lives alone in absolutely spartan surroundings. He seems bright enough but has real communications problems, including a seeming inability to see beyond the literal.

He frustrates the hell out of his sister Joan (Di Smith), who loves him, cares about his welfare and tries to protect him. But she has dysfunctionality problems of her own in the form of a disintegrating relationship with her acerbic husband Harry (Drayton Morely), who’s only too willing to take a poke at Beane’s mental state.

Things suddenly change when the hyper-aggressive Molly (Sarah-Jane St Clair) breaks into Beane’s flat and can’t believe how few material possessions there are to steal.

The unlikely couple fall in love — a very lusty, all-consuming love — and suddenly Beane finds the confidence and personal strength that have always been missing.

His spontaneous joy at the world and his effusiveness about love and sex reignite Joan’s and Harry’s relationship and suddenly they’re cooing over each other, encouraging each other to take sickies so they can spend more time together, and generally behaving like a couple of besotted newlyweds.

Gavin is a convincing Beane, both as the shuffling introvert and in the conversion to the confident, lustful lover. St Clair, as Molly, can be genuinely scary and is a very effective partner in several wonderful pieces of passionate poetic interaction with Beane.

Smith and Morely (who also doubles as a waiter) are strong, both as the bitchy, bickering couple and as rejuvenated honeymooners.

Director Kim Hardwick presents a tight performance that works well on Claire Moloney’s stark stage setting, which is wonderfully enhanced by Martin Kinnane’s “starry night” lighting.

A big hand, too, for composer/pianist Phil Scott and cellist James Beck, whose music continually matches the mood on stage.

Look, Love Song will never be classified as classical drama, but American playwright John Kolvenbach has produced a witty script around a good idea, while White Box and Darlinghurst Theatre have delivered a most enjoyable experience.

Regarding the outcome, it’s clear that Joan’s and Harry’s rediscovered passion isn’t standing the test of time. And as for Beane and Molly ... well, that would be telling.

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