The Other Place

The Other Place by Sarr White, currently being performed by The Rep is deeply personal for its director, David Sinclair. Supported by Dementia Australia, this season is dedicated to Meredith Sinclair who suffered from, and died from Dementia, the leading cause of death for Australian women. To support better understanding of Dementia, the very time user friendly, 82-minute one act performance also features Q and A sessions after matinee performances, where advocates from Dementia Australia are making themselves available to help prepare people who may be or may have to support someone with this illness.

As is the condition, the set is stark and uncluttered with multiple open windows that in their own way are symbolic. Importantly, this allows the audience to see the projected slides that accompany a lecture on a new drug and its impact on brain cells that threads through much of the story. Complex lighting designed by Ricard Parkhill is purposeful and is an important tool in the story telling. The use of strong lighting colour creates mood and ambiance, underlining difficult parts of the story and making a powerful wordless impact.

Juliana is played with style, comedy and pathos by Robyn Brooks. Her ability to ‘break the 4^th wall’ seamlessly is used confidently and effectively to reach out to and make contact with the audience. Whilst Juliana is only 52 years old, cracks begin to appear in her memory and command of situations. The powerhouse woman, over the course of the performance, becomes a bewildered wife and terrifyingly vulnerable child-like lost woman who progressively degenerates in plain sight. Brooks is undeniably the standout performer.

Sinclair’s use of the stage shows his experience as an actor and director. Never leaving the stage, Brooks masterfully moves from place to place on the stage, interacting with others in different contexts, desperately seeking answers.

Tegan Gully-Crispe has multiple characters who at times, sound very similar. A confident performer, some of her quieter dialogue, as the doctor was not audible. In her work downstage, towards the end of the play, the volume is stronger and her performance as the house owner with an uninvited guest, is tender and moving.

Scott Nell as Ian, Juliana’s Oncologist husband is somewhat of a loveless role. He portrays the couple’s struggle and frustration with his wife’s battle and does a lot of voice raising. I would also like to see him use his lower range for anger as well to enable me to feel his desperation. Brendan Cooney, as Man also plays more than one character. Like Nell’s role, Cooney provides much of the incidental information, and does this consistently.

This is a drama of the emotional kind and perhaps the last five minutes transported me most irrevocably to the world that Juliana was entering. Knowing the statistics, this is compelling viewing, and importantly, it is very good, well performed theatre.

Jude Hines