Arcadia

Arcadia
By Tom Stoppard. Harbour Theatre. Directed by Barry Park. Camelot Theatre, Lochee St, Mosman Park, WA. May 28-Jun 13, 2021

It seems a long time since we have seen Arcadia in Perth, but Harbour Theatre’s production, ably directed by Barry Park brings back this Tom Stoppard show with grace and elegance.

Set Sidley Park, a country house in Derbyshire, the play takes place on a single set, in both 1809 and 1989. Simply set, Mark Nicholson’s design features a large and impressive dining suite against a simple set of large windows. There is strong use of colour on the cyclorama behind, in a lighting design also by Mark Nicholson. Merri Ford has created beautiful costumes, using lovely links between the two eras – which establish both time and character beautifully.

Arcadia talks a great deal about noise, and it was a shame that on Opening Night there was a great deal of noise getting in the way of this very wordy play. Camelot can be” muggy” for voices at the best of times – and anything short of perfect diction can be difficult to hear. This problem appears to be worse when performing on the floor, and on opening night actors were also competing with heavy rain and Indian music from a concert in the next room. We missed a great deal of exposition, which made it difficult for many to really engage with the production. Having said that, these actors were working hard, and the acting was of high quality, which meant it was worth persisting (and it will be a lot easier at other performances).

Lucy Weise makes a very welcome Perth debut as the very bright and engaging Thomasina Coverly, a teenage wunderkind in the early 1800s. Her tutor Septimus Hodge is played with wry humour by Patrick Downes. 

Also in 1809, we meet Thomasina’s mother Lady Croom, played beautifully with lovely haughtiness by Anna Head, and gardener Richard Noakes, very credibly played by Martyn Churcher. Strong support came from Geoffrey Leeder as butler Jellaby, Jason Dohle as Ezra Charter, Cameron Leese as Captain Brice and Joe Stevens as Augustus Coverly.

In 1989 Grace Edwards is outstanding as Hannah Jarvis, an author conducting research in the house and garden. She has wonderful conflict with Adam Poole, strong as Bernard Nightingale, who is researching a Byron connection at Sidley Park. Real life scientist Ashvath Singh Kunadi is new to Perth, and is impressive as mathematician Valentine Coverly, with lovely work from Lillian Valverde Caceres as his sister Chloe, and Joe Stevens (again) as brother Gus.

Some beautiful attention to detail in this show, especially in terms of properties and graphic design (Joanne Sterkenberg and Keith Shackleton).

This show will have particular appeal for those who like to have an intellectual challenge in their theatre. Lots of food for thought against a beautifully finished, visual treat.

Kimberley Shaw

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