Presented by Adelaide Repertory Theatre (aka The Rep)
Reviewed 24 June 2016
Tennessee William’s classic play Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, deals with the recurring themes of mendacity and death (detailed by director Barry Hill in his program notes). Big Daddy has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and his greedy children must decide how the estate will be separated. Is Gooper and his brood of children truly the best option or would he do better to offer it to his alcoholic favourite, Brick? The play is full of William’s trademark personalities and lingering looks, Adelaide Repertory’s production does well with an incredibly dense and – at times – laboured play.
This production rests on the powerhouse performances of Russell Starke, Joshua Coldwell and Anita Pipprell. Solid accents, dominating stage presence and strong characterisation lend much to this complex show.
As the iron-fisted patriarch, Starke perfectly balances the characters withering health with a white hot rage that leaves the audience shell shocked. Coldwell performs the alcoholic, Brick, well but seemed a little disengaged in the first scene as Maggie bustles about him. As his character develops, however, layers to his performance start to be uncovered and he rises to the show’s high cast standard. Pipprell as the long-suffering wife, Maggie, portrays the waif-like elements of her character in wonderful juxtaposition to her strength. This character could easily played too weak but her performance brings out every nuance in the complex character.
In smaller roles Jude Brennan, Alan Fitzpatrick, Nicole Rutty, John Maston and David Rapkin deliver solid performances. At times they can become a bit overdone but this sits well with the high-intensity environment of William’s play. Rutty in particular should be commended for her performance as the heavily pregnant wife, Mae.
The children in this production play a very small part and are talked about more than they appear on the physical stage. Unfortunately, Alicia Hammond, Zara Blight, Thomas Hamilton-Smith, Rachael Holmes-Vickers and Jimmy White spend that time being ‘annoying children’ and this portion of the production just comes across as messy and unprepared. This is a shame as the quality of Hill’s direction is far higher throughout the rest of the play.
The pacing is the most confusing portion of this production. Hill has done a fantastic job keeping this dense play moving whilst still focusing on all of the key character minutiae throughout. The first act, however, is painfully slow and completely exhausting. Perhaps this is a fault of the play rather than the production but luckily Act 2 is far more engaging.
With Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Adelaide Repertory Theatre have produced an actor-driven version of a character-driven play. With strong performances throughout, this is one not to be missed if you’re in the mood for serious theatre. It definitely deserves better audiences than the miniscule crowd present on the night this reviewer saw it.
Reviewed by Nathan Quadrio
Venue: Arts Theatre
Season: 23 June – 2 July 2016
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Tickets: $17 – $22
Bookings: www.trybooking.com or call 8212 5777
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