Closer

Old Mill Theatre’s matinee audiences are typically very mature, but Closer, by Patrick Marber, billed ‘for mature audiences’ may have been a little surprising in its content, judging from the whispered buzz in the auditorium.

The show’s poster has already sparked some controversy for its explicit nature, being discussed on radio station 6PR and 6PR’s Facebook page, causing observer John Nicholls to remark, “It’s not my Mum’s Old Mill. Where’s the vicar? Where are the delightful misunderstandings?”

While Closer does include some misunderstandings, it is essentially about the interrelationships of four people. It is sexy, includes strong language and demands great skills from its cast of four.

Excellent performances from Georgina Hamer, Jeff Watkins, Dylan Sercombe and Anna Head, as they work in a variety of combinations to tell this complex story. Acting is strong and heartfelt throughout - the characters flawed, realistic and believable.

My reservation with this production is that the 12 scene show runs a little slow. Trevor Dhu and Jo Little’s set design is clever and well-finished, but takes too long to actually execute changes, and this break in momentum seems to infiltrate the pace of the show as well. This is a shame as this cast definitely have the skills to drive this show faster at times.

John Woolwich’s lighting design has great impact, using colour to effect, Sound (Vanessa Gudgeon) and video effects (Vanessa Gudgeon and Duncan Shaw) are effective. Jenny Prosser’s costumes are nicely chosen.

Closeris a production that was well-marketed and nicely executed, with some performances well worth seeing.

Kimberley Shaw