Ninety

‘Ninety’ is the work of the extremely talented, contemporary Australian playwright, Joanna Murray-Smith. This Western Australian premiere is directed by Marcelle Schmitz for Black Swan State Theatre Company’s ‘Season Underground’ at the State Theatre Centre of WA, Roe Street, Northbridge. The performances are 90-minutes, and run until the 17^th July at 8.00 pm. With matinees on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

 

     As art conservator, Isabel (Kirsty Hillhouse) works on a newly discovered 16^th century Dutch painting, and the layers of dirt are peeled away, Isabel starts to wonder if in fact it could possibly be a 15^th century van Eyck, similar to his Arnolfini Marriage. This stripping away of the haze helps her to examine her own broken marriage to film actor William (Paul English). How had it happened? And why?
      She decides to call William who is in Paris, and is within hours of him marrying a much younger woman.
      Despite his situation, Isabel asks William if he can fly back to her, in their old home, to discuss a possible reconciliation of this broken and sapped love affair. He agrees to a ninety minute discussion.
      In this permitted period, they discuss the highs and lows of their years together. Their joyful meeting, fun outings, and then come the past accusations, disillusionments and tragic setbacks. However, can they find a common link? Was there anything in their time together that is still valuable enough to re-ignite their previous genuine affection?

 

Murray-Smith has a prominent flair for writing very personal, intimate dramas with bright and intelligent dialogue, not a poor sentence in the whole play. The script takes these two exceptionally gifted actors through a myriad of emotions, as they re-examine their lives together.
As though 90 minutes of demanding dialogue wasn’t a big enough challenge, the numerous flashbacks, that were at times scathing, acerbic and yet often droll, had them changing temperament rapidly. There were numerous laughs, which quickly returned to the tragic reality of their lives today. The actors coped beautifully with these mood swings, giving outstandingly powerful and daring performances. Their whole bodies conveyed the tension of the situation, their chemistry electric.
Director Marcelle Schmitz has chosen her cast impeccably, and made the whole performance enthralling. Bryan Woltjen’s set, although simple, was cleverly designed with a picture frame as a door and this doubled as a theatrical stage. His costume design was again, at first glances, simple everyday attire, yet the tweed trousers expressed the man’s character and the loose wool clothing of Isabel was perfect for an artist.  
Lighting designer Tent Suidgeest had colour and hue changes to highlight the flashbacks and various mood swings. Sound design by Ben Collins was crisp and punchy.
A wonderful play, one with which every adult will connect or recognise friends. This is of staggering quality and a must see.