Blackrock

Blackrock was originally commissioned by the STC as an extended version of Enright’s shorter play The Property of the Clan, written as a catharsis for the community of Stockton following the rape and murder of teenager Leigh Leigh. In ‘filling out’  his original work, Enright looked more closely at the social implications of such a tragedy on any community.

The stage of the O’Kelly Theatre is a perfect venue for this play. The dark, cavernous space has been edged with sand and surfboards lean against the surrounding catwalks. But this isn’t a bright beachside scene. Set designer Gina Rose Drew and lighting and sound designer Matt Osborn have created an atmosphere that is slightly ominous, suggestive of darkness that is to come. The sound of washing waves denotes the beach scenes and whilst effective, this is often too loud, masking the dialogue.

As the play opens, eighteen-year-old Jared (Simon Croker) sits on the catwalk, watching the beach. His cousin Cherie (Scarlett Koehne) pleads with him to teach her how to surf like her friend Tracey Warner. The playful mood is broken with the arrival, after a year away, of twenty two year old local ‘bad boy’ Brett Ricketson, played by Adrian Espulso.

Ricko’s return heralds change. He’s a leader, a drinker, a larrikin who inspires and impresses the local kids. And what a better welcome home to The Rock but wealthy newcomer Toby Ackland’s eighteenth birthday party!

So the scene is set for the tragedy that is to come – an unsupervised beach party, too much alcohol, too many young drinkers, too much strutting and flirting – and a disastrous ending with repercussions that will affect the whole community.

Directors Tristan Carey and Samantha Cunningham have developed a committed ensemble of performers, who play over fifteen characters. Of these, Croker and Espulso carry the weight of the exposition.

Croker manages to sustain the two sides of Jared’s character clearly. There is the Jared who has a sense of community (he cleans up the beach of his friends’ empty beer cans) and is quietly developing a relationship with Ackland’s sister Rachel. There is also the Jared who back answers his mother and hero worships  Ricko. Croker manages these juxtapositions well, especially in his final scenes with Ricko, and in a very heart warming scene with his mother, Diane (Donna Sizer).

Espulso finds the character of Ricko in energetic posturing and firey delivery. He is tough and macho, determined to re-establish himself – facing up to Toby in a fight he has to concede; treating his girlfriend Tiffany (Anna Dooley) appallingly. There’s a lot to dislike about Ricko, and Espulso finds all of it – and yet he sustains a sense that much of this is bravado, that he is more needy than he seems. And this is manifested almost heart-breakingly in his final scenes.

As ‘local lads’ Scott and Davo, Ian Runneckles and Justen Petch give enthusiastic performances. They create the illusion of a raucous party; their sexist pursuit of Tracey is gut-turning; and the way they constantly deny their guilt is baldly distressing. Daniel Csutkai’s portrayal of Toby is also believable. His drunken flaying about the stage as he tries to impress his new friends is literally sick-making and his self pity as his actions catch up with him is similarly nauseating. These are hard roles to take on. There is nothing lovable or pleasant about any of these young men, and all three actors have obviously worked hard to find the callousness they are portraying.

The girls, on the other hand, are much more likeable characters.  Maryellen George’s Rachel is solid and engaging. She has a very strong presence and makes Rachel’s social conscience believable. Her anguish as she returns from finding Tracey’s body is very moving. So too is that of Scarlett Koehne’s Cherie as she talks at Tracey’s graveside. Set close to the audience, she shows real compassion and emotion in her delivery.

Anna Dooley is less convincing as Ricko’s once girl friend Tiffany. Obviously Dooley has been directed to play Tiffany as gum-chewing, hair-twisting and flouncey, but as such she comes across more as a fifteen-year-old than a twenty-year-old. In her short final scene, however, she is much more believable. Kimberly Kelly picks up several roles including Shana and a police officer – not an easy role for someone so small!

As Diane, Donna Sizer becomes stronger as the play progresses and she is especially convincing in her later scenes. Alison Bennett plays Diane’s sister and Toby’s mother – two women from very different backgrounds. Her changes in character are consistent and she establishes a strong relationship with Diane.

Mark O’Connor plays all of the older male characters, and is quite cute in a tiny ‘cameo’ part at the end of the play, where his tendency to comedy is more appropriate.

This is a brave production of a difficult play. The many scene changes are choreographed relatively well on a very wide stage. The cast sustains deep and demanding roles in scenes that are quite confronting, and the hushed audience in the final scenes shows jusåt how successfully they do so.

Carol Wimmer

Photographer: Samantha Cunningham.