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Ruby Moon is a contemporary Australian play that explores the grim mythology of the missing child in Australian folklore. The play explores the shift towards fear and uneasiness in suburbia, where community and connection were once championed. Ruby Moon is a six-year-old who has gone missing, and her parents are trying to simultaneously navigate their heartache and how they can exist in a world without her while still looking for clues as to where she went. It’s a desperate combination of grief and hope.

I was a little worried about how dark the themes in Ruby Moon would be when I invited my mum to come with me, on Valentine’s Day. Often, plays with a serious theme tend to hit viewers over the head with their message. This play, however, was surprising in all the right ways and, thankfully, did not do this. Ruby Moon is, instead, an intelligent invitation to ponder over the issues of child abduction, grief, community, security, and domestic violence without leaving feeling bludgeoned.

Upon walking into the Newcastle Young People’s Theatre, I was struck by the beauty of the set design and how it truly conveyed that we were in Australian suburbia. Little did I know how cleverly it would be utilised as well. The director, Samuel Jenkins, was also responsible for set and costume design and he truly out did himself. The clever use of props and a clothesline made for a wonderful ability to transport the audience into a new space with a spin of the hills hoist.

Greg Shearer and Mary Shearer built the set. Alex Lane coordinated the costumes and received help from Cynthia Boyd and Wendy Leis to construct them. The lighting was excellent, with wonderful use of back lighting on the stage and shadows. The sound was well used to create eerie scenes where you weren’t quite sure what was real.

Both cast members, Aoife Gregory and Samantha Lambert, were outstanding. From when the audience was entering and the house lights still up, they were in character and building the story. For me, one of the marks of a great actor is the ability to create genuine emotion in response to the character they are portraying, and I truly had a visceral reaction of dislike to Ray. Aoife was so expressive and, at times, absurd. She absolutely threw herself into each of the four characters she played with brilliant use of her body.

At times you could hardly believe it was the same person! Samantha Lambert truly shone in the role of Sylvie and was equally convincing in the other characters she played as well. I completely forgot that it was just Samantha playing all these wildly different and colourful characters. It was as if I was transported into Sylvie’s mind and all the scenarios the loss of a child conjures up.

I was at the edge of my seat, searching alongside the main characters for the next clue in the mystery. I appreciated that the play had both intense moments and moments of light-heartedness and absurdity. Overall, it was very enjoyable to watch these true artists at work, and I highly recommend seeing Ruby Moon for a thought-provoking theatre experience. It’s definitely a great jumping-off point for conversations about the sometimes subtle nature of domestic violence, safety in the community, and grief.

For more information about Ruby Moon and Young People’s Theatre Newcastle, please visit https://ypt.org.au/.

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.