Rain Man

As iconic, quintessentially poignant American films go, they don’t really get much more significant. Tom Cruise broke through as a serious actor (albeit spasmodically) with his powerful turn as the guileful and selfish Charlie Babbit, the term ‘autistic savant’ entered the common vernacular, Australia discovered it was the home of the world’s safest airline and Dustin Hoffman waltzed off with Oscar at possibly the shortest odds ever in his career. A goofy-footed surfer on the recent wave of film-to-stage adaptations? Certainly. A challenge for the intimate confines of the Ensemble Theatre - with a mostly Australian cast? Absolutely. And yet, this production is set to create theatrical folklore all its own. Alex Dimitriades’ Charlie is a revelation. He’s undoubtedly arrogant and cold, yet he retains the essential innocence necessary to allow us, the audience to not only forgive his hideous-by-21st-Century-standards political incorrectness, but also buy his transition from cold-blooded opportunist to loyal, loving brother by the final curtain. With Hoffman’s ‘Raymond Babbit’ so entrenched in the frontal lobes of anyone over 30 it would be difficult for an actor to bring something fresh, genuine and unique to this vivid, often parodied character, yet Daniel Mitchell made The Rain Man his own. Each of Matilda Ridgeway’s three characters (running the gamut from kooky to seductive) were scene stealers in their own right and the rest of the ensemble cast were absolutely superb. The set is sparse yet efficient, while the direction is natural and unencumbered. With cinema’s ability to combine florid musical scores, artful cinematography and location to milk the pathos – all theatre has left is for the actors to reel you in with truth. “You bet your ass” they did.
Rose Cooper

Daniel Mitchell and Alex Dimitriades in Rain Man