Giving Culture had a big hit of live theatre last week, attending Past the Shallows at ATYP and the world premiere of Draw Two at The Old Fitz Theatre.
Past the Shallows is a co-production between ATYP and Tasmania’s Archipelago Productions, adapted by Julian Larnach from a novel by Favel Parrett about three brothers and their abusive and unpredictable father, an abalone diver on Tasmania’s wild south coast. The three actors are constantly switching between characters as the tension builds and things start to unravel, especially about the death of the boys’ mother some years earlier.
Draw Two, written by Meg Goodfellow and directed by Lauren Bennett, also deals with a death – one that is much more recent but just as devastating on the family, and one that you feel will continue to affect other unresolved issues for some time. It’s a one-woman play and, like Past the Shallows, actor Georgia McGinness constantly switches between roles as she delivers a monologue that moves effortlessly from her inner thoughts to sharply observed impressions as she re-enacts her encounters with other characters.
The switching of characters is a powerful device in both works. In Past the Shallows, it highlights how reliant the three boys are on each other’s love and support, but also the claustrophobic and inescapable nature of their situation and the place they live. In Draw Two, it means we are never too far away from the protagonist’s thoughts, how she is wrestling with her own sense of identity and how she feels that others perceive her.
The experience of live performance is like nothing else. Whether they are actors, musicians or dancers, there is an interaction taking place in the moment – either amongst the performers themselves or with the audience – and that interaction and its response is unique every time. Just being part of cinema audience is different; your individual reactions to the movie are part of a collective set of responses, also unique and in the moment every time.
That experience was sharply felt in Draw Two; At times it felt like there was no fourth wall. Losing any sense of separation between you and what’s happening on stage can be transcendental.
Both Draw Two and Past the Shallows have had glowing reviews.
Theatre Red described Draw Two as “a superbly crafted piece of dramatic fiction, an inheritor of the grand tradition of storytelling”, and Georgia McGinness’ performance as Riley as “extraordinary”, while Sydney Arts Guide gave it “definitely” four stars.
Past the Shallows “requires of its audience an inordinate amount of concentration, but the experience is ultimately a satisfying one”, writes Suzy Goes See about the original 2022 production. She describes the unusual device of interchanging actors as “a representation of volatility that fits well within the themes of the play”.
Draw Two’s season has been extended, with final shows on this weekend: https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/draw-two
Past the Shallows has three performances still this week at ATYP: and look out for it touring in the future!