Everyman

Everyman is a modern adaptation of a medieval mystery play, that for the last few years has been studied by WAAPA Second Year Acting Students. This year, that cohort present this text publicly, in the unusual performance space of the Edith Spiegeltent.

The audience are guests at the birthday celebration of “Everyone”, with some audience sharing a table with the guest of honour, and the action taking place around them. The audience are drawn into the action, donning party hats, and becoming part of the play.

The character Everyone is played by six actors, who play the role in succession, all wearing a black suit, sandshoes and obligatory party hat. Excellent performances and smooth transitions from Logan Sethu, Jin Yoo, Victoire Hemedi, Denli Clarez, Conan O’Connell, and Olivia Staniforth, whom if you can’t tell from their names, vary in gender, look and ethnicity, nicely emphasising the universality of this character.

The other major characters are Death, played with great panache by a very vibrant Hank Harris, and God, played as a pregnant cleaner, with understated matter-of fact delivery by Grace Ghanem.

Rebecca Galvin brings enthusiasm to the role of Fellowship, Rosalili Ford gives sparkle and consumerist slickness to Goods, while Monique Mitchell plays Knowledge with a wry intelligence, in an unusual package.

Everyone’s family is given a sense of the offbeat with gender flipped portrayals from Aimie Honor, Ryan Tierney and Pippin Carroll. Jay-Kay Davies is lovely as Everybody, and the cast is nicely completed by Pierse Cant and Tierney Clark.

Cast member Pippin Carroll has provided composition and sound design that blend a party atmosphere with high impact moments, while atmospheric lighting design was provided by Joe Hoedemaker. Stella Porter’s simple but effective set, costume and props design ties the production together well.

An ensemble piece, with interesting messages, that involves the audience in an exciting way. A production that was a joy to watch.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Stephen Heath