Appropriate

A visceral set and soundscape, that enveloped this gripping play, made this night in the theatre resonate deep in your bones. It opens in complete darkness, with the screeching sound of cicadas getting louder and louder.

When the lights finally come up, we see the chaos of the inside of a southern American homestead - the crumbling deceased estate of the patriarch of the dysfunctional Lafayette clan.

There is a spectacular sweeping curved staircase, dusty chandeliers, and lots of clutter. The physical set designed by Elizabeth Gadsby had a personality of its own which surprised and delighted.

Into this space enter the troubled adult children of the patriarch – Ray Lafayette. All hell breaks loose when they discover that their father has kept an old photo album of African American slaves being lynched. More grisly artefacts are soon stumbled upon.

Mandy McElhinney – best known as television ad personal `Rhonda’ – was an absolute firecracker as the daughter Toni.  As the divorcee who was her father’s carer, she gives a blistering performance as she scorches relatives who show up to share in the proceeds of the auction.

Pitted against her is brother Franz (Johnny Carr), who has turned up after ten years running away from his demons, and her other sibling Jo (Sam Worthington) who is desperate for cash.

There are plenty of other delicious characters in the mix. Lucy Bell was hilarious as Rachael - the Jewish wife of Jo. She starts as the proper wife, before popping her cork with a frothy eruption of blue words.

Also in the fruit salad was River (Brenna Harding), the hippy girlfriend of Franz, and the next generation of cousins - Rhys (James Fraser) and Cassidy (Ella Jacob) - who serve up a few helpings of teenage angst.

Like a great conductor, playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins fires up all his instruments into a sweeping symphony. The play has the feel of a classic.

There is pain, there are laughs, there is retribution and we literally see fireworks.

David Spicer

Photographer: Prudence Upton.