23 May 2012

90 minutes with the ex

Lynn Freeman

27/01/2010 12:00:00 p.m.

Ninety, directed by Susan Wilson, Circa Two, reviewed by Lynn Freeman

THE death of a child is every parent’s nightmare and that makes it potentially powerful theatre.
It’s well covered territory, including Carl Nixon’s The Raft which was seen in Wellington just last year. Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith takes a different tack to Nixon – here the parents have separated, as often happens, and one of them has buried their grief rather than dealing with it.
The cast of two has a monumental task. They hold the stage for 90 minutes, and must carry us with them back in time in between sparring in the present. Murray-Smith has Isabel (Michele Amas) summon her ex – William (Andrew Foster)  – to her art studio for a 90 minute conversation, before his wedding to a much younger woman. She’s up front, she misses him and questions his motives for taking a trophy wife. He’s up front, he doesn’t love Isabel any more, he’s intoxicated with the fame he’s found as an actor.
So what are her motives? Not what we may think. Gradually, she tries to strip away the protective layers of pretence.
It’s that façade that makes him unlikable at the start – too loud, too cynical, too egotistic, too fake. How could she have loved this guy, how could she love him still?
That disbelief gives way, due largely to the compelling, emotionally truthful performance by Michele Amas. We see them as a young couple very much in love with each other and later as adoring parents. At the same time we’ve already seen where the baby’s death has lead them, to an acrimonious divorce.
The best moments between the two are often those where no words are spoken, it’s all in the look.
Susan Wilson and her cast have an overly wordy script to deal with. As William, Andrew Foster comes into his own about halfway through the play and that’s mainly because it needs pruning. The playwright’s language, to be sure, is gorgeous.  This is a play which will resonate with many people.

Best of Wellington 2011

Fringe Festival

Briefs

  • Miles of vinyl 23/05/2012 11:33:00 a.m.

    Vinyl lovers take note: thousands of records are up for grabs at Wellington’s only record fair.  Collectors are invited to The Southern Cross to peruse piles from by ten different traders. Vinyl Club is a collaboration between Evil Genius, Rough Peel Music, Slow Boat Records, and Vanishing Point. Vinyl Club, The Southern Cross Bar, 12-4pm, May 26.

  • Miss a meal 23/05/2012 11:30:00 a.m.

    Food rescue group Kaibosh has been encouraging Wellingtonians to miss eating one meal during May. Kaibosh rescues food from retailers that’s good enough to eat, but not good enough to sell, and redistributes it to charities working with the disadvantaged. The group wants people to miss a meal and instead donate the money they would have spent. It hopes to raise $20,000 for a walk-in cool room.

  • Stronger Pulse 23/05/2012 10:33:00 a.m.

    Wellngton's Pulse netball team has appointed two new directors as the franchise continues to strengthen both its governance and management teams. Prominent Wellington barrister Tim Castle and Land Information NZ acting chief executive Sue Gordon were appointed at the franchise’s AGM last week. 

  • Record breaking race 23/05/2012 10:31:00 a.m.

    Records are already being broken five weeks out from the Armstrong Wellington Marathon. More than 5,000 runners and walkers from nine different countries will line up at Westpac Stadium on June 24 for the marathon, half marathon, 10 kilometre and kids’ magic mile events, making it the biggest marathon event ever to be held in Wellington.

  • Think on it 23/05/2012 10:01:00 a.m.

    How can Wellington be the launchpad for more global businesses? The best 200 innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and other business leaders from around the region will be hashing it out at Grow Wellington’s World Class New Zealand 2012 forum on May 29. The aim is to develop a pathway for creating global businesses from the Wellington region.