Rovers

Rovers, is a part-scripted, part-improvised piece with major contributions by the two performers, directed by Caroline Dunphy, in collaboration with Belloo Creative.This on-demand version was filmed live at the Redland Performing Arts Centre, and is available on the Riverside Theatres Digital platform until Sunday 29 August 2021.

Two of Australia's best character performers, Roxanne McDonald and Barbara Lowing, play 'Roxy' and 'Barb', characters based on themselves, as well as a handful of other 'historic' players in a series of loosely linked sketches, etched out as misadventures on the road together. It's a fun format, best explained by 'Roxy' who says:

"Everything you've seen has been a mix of real and imagined, shaken up in a kaleidoscope – played out at once, just like life happens in our heads... memories colliding, skidding, sparking, never neat and tidy."

The respect and love these two women have for one another imbues the performance and is a joy to watch. The on-demand performance starts with some cute backstage footage of the two actors getting ready in their dressing rooms. The informality continues as the performers take to the stage, introducing themselves to the audience and chatting with 'Pete' the stage manager. Controlled chaos ensues as the seasoned travelling performers recount tales of the many touring productions that have helped forge their friendship, scoffing oysters and champagne in Alice Springs, and shared childhood memories of strong, loving mothers and creative, yet alcoholic fathers. Video and photo projections fill us in on some childhood stories. Their family backgrounds cross with adventurous spirits in the shape of Roxy's grandmother, Jesse Miller, and Barb's great-aunt, Barbara Toy – a travel writer who traversed Europe and the Middle East, driving herself to Baghdad in the 1950s, in a Land Rover she dubbed 'Polyanna' (mini-series, Netflix, please!) The two semi-fictionalised characters meet join forces and, as Roxy says when she throws away Barb's map and broken compass: "Land and stars is all you need!" The trip gently explores Aboriginal culture as Barbara Toy's adventures take her back to Australia to Uluru – or Ayers Rock as she calls it, insisting on climbing to the top of the sacred landmark.

As well as these characters, Roxy and Barb also use their memories of a mutual tomboy childhood with dreams of acting to portray bushrangers Elizabeth Jesse Hickman and Black Mary, as well as recount stories of their 35 years in showbiz, starting with their first production together in 1996, touring productions of Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, Macbeth, Mathilda Women, The Man from Muckinupin, and Mother Courage and Her Children, among others. It would be more satisfying to delve deeper into the two actors' family stories – but the production team may have judged that audiences who are obliged to wear masks might be happier with a one-hour, one-act play at this moment in our theatrical history.

Rovers is about growing old disgracefully, coming full circle, embracing life and accepting death ...  in a way, it's like a much more comic version of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot – now that's a play I'd love to see these talented performers tackle. However, as I've read that the Beckett Estate refused Ian McKellen permission to mount a production with Judi Dench as his co-star, I'm doubtful it would get off the ground. Meanwhile, I'd be happy to see these two wonderful performers in various updated iterations of Rovers. And, with the on-demand possibility, we could see the Rovers format develop and evolve to new chapters ... more please, ladies!

Find out more at: www.riversideparramatta.com.au 

View filmed interviews at: https://criticalstages.com.au/screening-room

Beth Keehn

Photos: Cinnamon Smith and Katherine Lyall-Watson