The Almighty Sometimes

This is a timely new Australian play centred on mental health.

The central character is Anna, an eighteen year-old who has been on medication since as long as she can remember. The play opens with Anna, appearing quite normal, establishing a relationship with Oliver, a male friend. In the background is Anna’s protective mother Renee who encourages the relationship. However, Anna decides not to take her medication anymore and discovers that as a child she had a promising writing talent, a talent that seems to have been suffocated by medication.

Anna has regular appointments with her psychiatrist, but slowly her mental health begins to deteriorate as she struggles with her inner demons, her identity and refusal to take her medication. 

This is an emotional and alarming play and one not easy to perform. Each role is a massive challenge but the actors involved perform superbly.

As Anna, Janaya Byl is outstanding. Her journey from seeming normality to severe illness is remarkable for such a young actor. This deterioration is portrayed by her clever body language and her facial expressions. She dominates the stage, acting well within the character and displaying amazing talent to act a wide range of emotions. A truly outstanding performance.

Michelle Andrews, who plays Anna’s mother Renee, also gives a believable portrayal of a mother who is desperate to help her daughter. Renee’s difficulty is that Anna is not a child anymore as Anna questions the years of pills and prescription drugs. But Michelle keeps her character balanced and never flinches from the challenge that is Anna. This is an excellent interpretation of a desperate and loving mother.  

As Oliver, Dean Harton gives a cheeky portrayal of a boyfriend that lightens the production, but he also displays a strong personality when Anna begins to crumble mentally. Finally, Oliver can take no more and backs out of the relationship. Again, this is another intelligent and clever performance from a very promising young actor.

As the psychiatrist Vanessa Dinelli acts and looks the part. She is cool; she is clever and appears to have the answers to Anna’s mental health. This is a very smooth, convincing and intelligent performance from Vanessa.

Finally, full credit to director Matt O’Connor for doing a good job in directing this well-written and powerful play.

Ken Cotterill      

Photo: Janaya Byl and Vanessa Dinelli