Every Second

Every Second at Darlinghurst Theatre Company's gorgeous Eternity Playhouse tackles the delicate subject of infertility. Two couples desperate for a child cannot conceive and resultantly bond over their joint struggle. What was once an issue rarely discussed in the public forum now has many writers tackling the subject - Lifeforce the Musical last year and My Private Parts the year before spring to mind.

Vanessa Bates’ Every Second differentiates itself by showing the “other half’s” side of the story. Tim and Bill feel the pain, stress and heartache of fertility problems just as their wives Meg and Jen do. While eccentric Bill has a healthier way of giving support to his wife and maintaining hope, Tim is burdened with self-doubt and loses touch with his wife. Both couples work their way through the countless pregnancy tests, IVF treatments and new-age remedies while fighting to keep their own deep-rooted love for each other alive.

Glenn Hazeldine gives the standout performance as Bill. His character has the best material to work with and Hazeldine’s quirky vocal and physical characterisation provide most of the laughs. He is supported by a strong cast including Julia Ohannessian, Georgina Symes and Simon Corfield – who makes an almost unrecognisable transformation at the end of the show.

Andy McDonnell’s spiral set design is clever and well utilised by director Shannon Murphy. The meaningfulness of such a design – particularly the potential metaphor of the communal lake – is however under-developed in the script.

Every Second has the makings of a potent piece of theatre but suffers from lose-ended plotlines, under-developed metaphors and depth-less characters stuck in a constant state of anxiety.

See the show for the all-important emotive reminder that love can endure through the toughest of hardships.

Maryann Wright

Images: Georgina Symes and Glenn Hazeldine & Glen Hazeldine, Julia Ohannessian, Simon Corfield and Georgina Symes. (c) Louis Dillon-Savage.