Reviews

From beginning to end, Joanne Hartstone’s performance in That Daring Australian Girl is a triumph. With subtle nuance, expression and gestures, all in keeping with a woman at the turn of last century, Hartstone captures little celebrated Muriel Matters and her extraordinary life with colour and passion.

Written and performed by Hartstone, the performance is staged in Holden Street’s Arch venue; the old church building immediately evoking bygone eras.

First time director Rodney van Groningen has assembled a stellar cast for the West Australian premiere of Marina Carr’s relationship drama, Marble, produced by Darlington Theatre Players.

Art has a vivid dream about making love to his best friend’s wife, on the same night that she has the exact same dream about Art. Marble is an intense drama about two couples, that at times can be quite bleak.

The setting is Bernard and Jacqueline’s country home, a converted French farmhouse northwest of Paris, in the 1980’s. While Jacqueline is to be away for the weekend, Bernard arranges for his Parisian mistress to call, for his friend Robert to be there too as an alibi and finally a cook to prepare the gourmet meals. What could go wrong? Everything.

This is an electrifying production that delights and surprises members of the audience. I overheard this comment at interval in the men’s room: “Gee, I didn’t expect it to be this good!”

The throbbing heart of the performance is the kick ass band. They perform at the top of the stage with lights teasing us with their presence. The musical director Nathan Barraclough, who looks and plays like a rock star, gets his own moment under the spotlight.