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POSTED: 08 NOVEMBER 2011 The Dark Room, by Angela Betzein | Directed by Letitia Caceres Belvoir | Belvoir Downstairs, Surry Hills, Sydney | Until 11 December The Dark Room, by award-winning playwright Angela Betzein, won the Richard Wherrett Prize, and deservedly so. The play begins with Anna (Leah Purcell), a government social worker who deals with young people at risk. She and her 14-year-old client Grace (Billie Rose Prichard) are in a threadbare country motel room, in the Northern Territory. Grace is a damaged child and in the opening scenes Anni is trying hard to convince her that she should not harm herself.
There are three narratives that end up in this same cramped and seedy motel room. In the second strand of narrative, a pregnant Emma (Anna Lise Philips) arrives with her husband Steve (Brendan Cowell). Steve is a cop torn between his wife and his friends. He repeatedly moves to leave Emma alone in the motel but just as repeatedly returns to her. In the final narrative Stephen’s colleague, Craig (Cameron Stewart) wrestles with his conscience and as he is haunted by Joseph (Bjorn Stewart), a young Aboriginal who has died in police custody. The three stories come together and intertwine as the three groups of occupants are played simultaneously not only in the same room but at times on the same bed. It is an inspirational piece of staging which Leticia Caceres’s meticulous direction orchestrates seamlessly. The performances are all flawless. Leah Purcell is completely credible as the guarded and compassionate minder, and Billie Rose Prichard, as the tortured and confused teenager who wears a pillowcase with eye holes and ears resembling a dog, is confronting as the emotionally retarded juvenile. Cowell drives the drama with his powerful stage presence. In his intoxicated state he is realistic, physically bringing energy and intention to the role but also allowing all the nuances of the character to materialise. In their intimate scenes together, Philips is riveting and multi-dimensional as the burnt-out teacher revealing to the audience her naked vulnerability. Cameron Stewart is precise in his rendition of the inhibited, sexually repressed and emotionally retarded senior sergeant. The brief scene between he and Bjorn Stewart is one of the most poignant I have seen in quite some time. Christopher Page’s lighting design and Pete Goodwin’s ominous soundscape enhance the drama by adding another layer of tension and atmosphere to this potent and compelling modern work. There is limited seating at Belvoir Downstairs, so make sure you don’t miss out. Thumbs Up!
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