Big Love

Big Love is a big piece of Epic Theatre, performed by WAAPA Third Year Bachelor of Performing Arts Performance Making Students, and crewed and designed predominantly by WAAPA Production and Design Students.

Based on Aeschylus’ The Suppliants, one of the oldest known plays in Western Theatre, it tells of fifty Greek sisters being forced to marry their cousins, who seek refuge in Italy. This incarnation uses a slightly expanded cast,= from Mee’s original - with additional ensemble - although we don’t quite see fifty brides and grooms.

A gorgeous looking production featuring lots of (very bridal) pink and white - with Set Designer Stella Payer giving us a very pretty set that includes swathes of tulle, a beautiful bathtub and chandelier and “wedding cake” stairs. Costume Designer Arianna Alessandro’s predominantly pink costuming places us firmly in the 1980s - and we are treated to an eighties’ soundtrack amongst Amaru Zachariassen’s wonderful “surround sound” sound design (the swirling sounds opening the show were excellent).

A student crew, headed by production manager Estelle Gomersall and Stage Manager Shaanice Arakua, supported the show well.

Our first glimpse of the runaway brides comes in the form of Lucy Nunn’s Lydia, whose exposition is heartfelt, and with whom the audience quickly bonds. Feisty and intelligent, she crafts an excellent developing relationship with cousin-groom Nikos, played with depth by Oliver Hughes.

Emily Jenkins and Roisin Wallace superbly share the role of outspoken and ruthless sister Thyona, while Natasha Pearson brings naivety and youthfulness to more romantic sister Olivia. Ensemble sisters Claudia (Marie-Eve Cigna), Alexandria (Shontae Wright) and Daphne (Tiahna Johnson) are given personality and are completely focused and absorbed throughout.

The family in his home where the young women arrive, feel real, and have believable relationships.. Kurtis Brown is charming as kind, enigmatic, and possibly queer nephew Guiliano. Oliver Clare is strong as Piero, reluctant to put his family at risk, while sympathetic to the women, while Izabella Day, as matriarch Bella, loving and dispenser of sage advice, steals scenes in an expertly drawn, deep but comedic performance.

The remaining grooms, mostly mulleted and swaggering, are led by a very confident, misogynistic Constantine, powerfully played by Henry Kent, and well supported by Anna Knight as Oed, with Reuben Mongoo (Nicholas), Ashton O’Donovan (Christos) and Sam Rumpel (Theo).

House Guests, led by a commanding and very clever performance by Iris Warren as Eleanor, supported by Fletcher Scully as Leo, add colour and pizazz. Good work from Laura Goodlet, Jiaru Lin and Talia Zipper.

Great use of music, song, and ritualistic movement (if at times the floor banging went a little long), this was a refreshing new take on an ancient work, that was relevant, interesting, and superbly performed.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Stephen Heath