Unperturbed

The Meraki Mainstage is a cute little theatre perched at the top of Sydney’s Taylor Square. To get there you have to climb stairs through another active show. But it’s worth it to see Jack Kearney’s new play, directed by his father John, about death, funerals and families carrying on.

It’s the day of the funeral of mum. We don’t why she died, but it’s clear she left a family in pieces. Naturally the four siblings are currently in a state, preparing for the event, dealing with things like impossible neckties and neighbours delivering a large tray of Lasagne. Dad is nowhere to be seen. The four kids have to make do as best they can, ‘unperturbed’.

Conor (Michael Cameron) is the oldest. He works in a fish shop and his loss will be hard. Kathy (Kaylie Chieco) is a teacher who seems well balanced enough to cope, much more than Will (Max Danta), off-balance and underdressed. The youngest of the family is Siobhan (Amy Bloink), still at school but already a budding intellectual. Together they must face the awful day ahead, without their mum who was a pivotal member of the family. Or their dad.

They don’t know what their functions will be at the looming service. What will Michael say in this speech? The family half-heartedly play cricket in the backyard and Monopoly in the living room to fill in time. The service draws ever closer.

The cast are splendid, making it clear that they are bonded as a group. Michael Cameron fights mightily for his survival and Amy Bloink stands out as the youthful heroine. There’s a problem with the ‘fourth wall’: if the cast had permission to address the audience directly a great deal might be gained.

John Kearney’s splendidly neat setting is exactly right.

His two rooms spread across the stage make you forget that you are watching a theatrical doll’s house.

Frank Hatherley