4 Minutes 12 Seconds

‘The world is a very different place now,’ says David, the father in this brilliant little play that touches down at Flight Path Theatre for a short stay. He’s referring to what has happened to his 17-year-old son Jack and girlfriend Cara after 4 minutes 12 seconds of private images have been broadcast to the world. Over 500,000 people saw them, including Cara’s dangerously infuriated family. How is Jack’s mortified mum Diane going to take it?

This excellent London piece by James Fritz, first seen in 2013, played at Sydney’s Old Fitzroy Theatre a few years later. It’s spot-on in its relevance today, when a few minutes of irreverent material can become of lasting importance to the people involved. And Jane Angharad’s punchy, thoughtful, shoe-string production makes the most of every little thing, including the tightly coiled script. There’s the constant drip-drip of unease about the digital age.

Emma Dalton and James Smithers play the boy’s parents, and each works hard to present a purpose to their journeys. Emma’s trip as Mum comes with the winning of hard-earned facts, while Nicholas’s Dad is a gradual reveal of his true values. They both remember a time when they did similar things, but it’s different these days. Both actors are to be congratulated on their wounding portrayals.

In smaller roles are Nicholas McGrory as Jack’s mate, not understanding in any way. Kira McLennan plays Cara, the girl in the video, and gives a sensational performance as the most damaged of them all, staunch yet extremely vulnerable. Jack’s breach may be forgotten eventually, but never Cara’s.

The bare setting, designed by James Smithers, is a raised square platform between two screens showing, between scenes, the ill-lit images of the actors. Mum and Dad inspect themselves. There’s no fussing with props or scene changes, so we can focus on the mounting impact of the words. There’s excellent lighting by Clare Sheridan.

Frank Hatherley

Photographer: Phil Erbacher.