Day One, A Hotel, Evening

Many a play has been written about a love triangle, but Joanna Murray-Smith's Day One, A Hotel, Evening, is moreabout a love "Star of David drawn by an overenthusiastic six year old" a manic tangle of relationships that continues to surprise throughout this 110minute play.

Six very capable actors worked as a tight ensemble to give clarity to this extremely complex plot. Jacob Allan played Ray, who may or may not have just been overseas, may or may not be a paid killer and is married to Rose.

Claire Lovering was superb as sweet, quirky actress Rose, who is cheating on Ray with Sam (Humphrey Bower), but feeling hurt after being stood up, hooks up with suave Tom (Matt Dyktinski).

Tom is having an affair with Madeleine (Michelle Fornasier), who is married to the aforementioned Sam, and this is just the beginning of the intermingling of these characters' lives.

The web of deceit is untangled thanks to the efforts of Stella, who is gifted or cursed with second sight. Stella is played beautifully as a "manic, pixie girl" grown up, by Ros Hammond whose energy and verve connects all the characters and contributes to the frenetic pace throughout.

Tracy Grant Lord's set was a succession of rooms on a revolve, used in a multitude of ways. The revolve itself became an integral part of the action, with director Peter Houghton using it symbolically and blocking on the moving revolve helped scenes merge seamlessly.

My only complaint was that in early scenes, before I was totally drawn into the show and ceased to notice, was the distraction of being able to see successive scenes being set up further round the revolve. This would only be visible from the extreme edges of the auditorium, and the crew were subtle in their execution, but of course it is a crucial time for establishing relationships in the story.

Black Swan State Theatre Company are bringing us a wonderfully varied season. Funny, thoughtful and at times quite insightful, this great, new Australian play was a delight to watch.

Kimberley Shaw.

Images: (top) Matt Dyktynski & Humphrey Bower and (lower) Matt Dyktynski, Humphrey Bower & Michelle Fornasier in Day One, A Hotel, Evening. Photo by Gary Marsh Photography.