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POSTED: 01 AUGUST 2011

Neighbourhood Watch, by Lally Katz | Directed by Simon Stone

Belvoir | Belvoir Street Upstairs, Surry Hills, Sydney | Until 28 August

Ana has had a hard life. From war-torn Hungary to suburban Sydney, Ana has experienced some truly horrific events. So she protects herself from further danger with her ferocious dog Bella and her “sixth sense”. You’ve got to be on the alert: “learn to see the trouble”.

Problem is, Ana doesn’t accept that not everyone has sinister intent: an offer for “von coffee” from an old neighbour; a conversation with her late husband’s doctor; a dog being taken for a walk.

But Catherine (Megan Holloway) has come into Ana’s life — the young, vulnerable neighbour who sits outside, not answering her ringing mobile. Ana’s defences begin to drop as she befriends “Kitty-Kitty”. Sharing the sadness of her past, Ana opens both of them to the possibilities of life — of being “in the life”.

Robyn Nevin is utterly delightful as Ana. For such a diminutive figure, she blazes larger than life. Acerbic, hilariously blunt and often intolerant, every time Ana scurried across the stage the audience sat enchanted.

Playwright Lally Katz wrote the character — based on an actual neighbour of hers — with Nevin in mind. The result is as Nevin had requested herself — tough, and funny, and quite unforgettable.

Neighbourhood Watch switches seamlessly from present to past to hopes for the future, aided by the sparse performance space and the revolving stage. An at times overwhelming array of small characters appears, as many of the actors play multiple roles. At first this took some adjustment, but as the play settled into its rhythm this became less fragmentary. Occasional clunky lines are forgiven in the warm heart of this tale.

Supported by a fine troupe, Nevin is the heart of the show. Holloway’s wide-eyed Catherine is less certainly defined, but interacts beautifully with Ana. Her tentative relationship with West Wing fanatic and World of Warcraft — obsessed flatmate Ken (the wonderfully laid-back Charlie Garber) — is similarly sweet to watch.

Kris McQuade’s Milova, the poorly-done-by neighbour, is hilarious as she trudges up and down the stairs hoping that this time, Ana will accept that “von coffee”. Fine supporting roles by Ian Meadows, Heather Mitchell and surprisingly, composer and sound designer Stefan Gregory, complete this solid ensemble.

Simon Stone’s sensitive direction makes the most of the gentle humour of Katz’s words. Some dramatic lighting effects and usage of the stage elevate Neighbourhood Watch beyond, as described, a “classic odd-couple story”, into a powerful, uplifting experience.

And being “in the life” of Ana, if just for a couple of hours, was a privilege.