Shrinks
Helensvale Cultural Centre
October 16th, 2014
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| Daniel Murphy & Monette Lee |
It seems appropriate that with Mental Health being so widely
represented in the media recently, Purple
Pear Productions has just started their World Premiere, S.E. Queensland tour of a new play entitled Shrinks by award-winning playwright,
Timothy Daly.
This charming and insightful three-hander follows the
professional and personal trials of a husband & wife team, both
psychiatrists, trying to manage the alleged mental illness of the same handsome
young patient. Mr. Dayly uses the analogy of the butterfly flitting gracefully
but momentarily into an otherwise still garden in his cleverly constructed
script, as a reminder that there is always beauty around us if only we take the
time to look for it.
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| Daniel Murphy & Jason Bently |
Director Michelle
Miall has put together a very strong cast including local theatre regular Monette Lee and Daniel Murphy as the embattled “shrinks” and Jason Bentley as the “very easy to fall in love with” Brazilian patient, Carl. Ms Miall’s direction is powerful
and filled with subtle meaning – her blocking of the three actors is
beautifully paced and the small set is masterfully used to its to its utmost
potential.
Technically the show is strong: Ken Robertson’s set is
simple and effective and while I found it a bit strange that the curtains are
hung on the outside of the window,
the set and dressing nicely serve to support the performers and not upstage
them. The lighting, on the other hand, is a little upstaging at times as the lighting state
and colour temperature change with irregular monotony and for no apparent
reason.
However I really enjoyed Shrinks: I always enjoy
good performances, clever writing and a play that makes me think. It seems the
universe does have a way to send us reminders when we need them: the problem
may not always be where we first perceive it to be and that sometimes it’s the
victim who becomes the rescuer.
