The Dark Room

Adelaide Flying Penguin Productions, with sponsorship from State Theatre Company of South Australia, Holden Street Theatres and other organisations, are currently presenting the South Australian premiere of Angel Betzien’s gritty contemporary Australian drama. The work, set entirely in a low-budget hotel room somewhere in the NT, raises issues such as deaths in custody, child neglect and abuse, domestic violence and corruption.

The play, which runs for a hard-hitting 80 minutes without a break under the astute direction of David Mealor, begins with Anni (Tamara Lee) caring for a troubled teenager (Jordan Cowan who is fantastic as Grace) while she seeks suitable shelter elsewhere for her. They have a verbal battle of wits that often verges on becoming violent and then, suddenly, married couple Stephen and Emma enter the motel room after a drunken wedding which then becomes theirs with Anni and Grace remaining motionless.

The couple – he’s a policeman with serious issues and she’s pregnant with doubts about their marriage – then engage in a verbal battle of their own and the play really develops from there. Later, corrupt and foul-mouthed NT policeman Craig (played menacingly by Nicholas Garsden) is in the motel room and it becomes obvious all the characters, in some small way, are linked to each other.

It’s a powerful and often disturbing work – each of the individuals seem to be in some dark room of their own – that’s cleverly written and extremely well-constructed as the play ingeniously weaves a desperate and chilling tale.

There is also a sense of menace, especially when a series of five-second blackouts as the play draws to its conclusion makes patrons wonder just what shock is going to be before them next, and the disturbing psychological aspect won’t appeal to all.

Those seeking a light-hearted night of theatre need look elsewhere, but those who choose to visit The Dark Room will be rewarded with a well-acted, gritty play that will reverberate for quite some time.

Robert Dunstan