Born on a Thursday

It has been a while. Here’s a full-length new Sydney play delivering its tough message to an audience that’s holding its breath watching a truly excellent 5-strong cast at work. Nothing can stop the magic, not even loud noise from a team of bellowers in the room above. Jack Kearney’s great drama, expertly directed by Lucy Clements, proved to be the winner.

In a remarkable setting for a pub theatre (designer Soham Apte) comes a true family home: large kitchen with stove, cooker, well-stocked fridge, sink with running water, and a 6-seat dining area with access to an outside garden plot hard against a tall fence. You could move right in.

It is to here, in 1998, that April (Sofia Nolan) returns, after 4 years in Europe as dancer. Why she’s coming home to Sydney is at first glance unclear, but we soon learn that it’s something to do with her movement. A ‘brief pause’ in her dancing career will soon become a need to find something else to do.

Not overjoyed to see her is her mother Ingrid (Sharon Millerchip), a short-tempered woman with plenty on her worry list, not least her son Isaac (Owen Hasluck) who has sustained an accident to his brain while playing football.

The small cast is completed by Howard (James Lugton), a next-door neighbour from heaven, who uses Ingrid’s back-garden as his own; and drop-in Estelle (Deborah Galanos), who is Ingrid’s louche friend and wine tester.

Jack Kearney’s powerful play is dominated by the mother/daughter conflict between Ingrid and Estelle. Both are played with skill and power. Sharon Millerchip is in tremendous form as the epic mother-figure of this powerful story. ‘Keep out of my way!’ she shrieks silently.

The true story in this packed agenda, the consequences of Owen’s head knock, is waiting to be fully uncovered. We wait while the family waits, for a long time: ‘Thursday’s child has far to go’, as the saying goes. 

Lighting by Veronique Bennett and Sound by Sam Cheng. The setting by Soham Apte remains as outstanding as any I have seen at the venue.

The play is quite brilliantly directed by Lucy Clements. I recommend it be seen by everyone.

Frank Hatherley

Photographer: Phil Erbacher