Breathe the Mountain Air
A review of “Le Chemin” at The Sky Theatre, Manly.
Play Title: “Le Chemin”
Playwright: Liz Eastland
Director: Kathleen Walker
Venue: The Sky Theatre, Manly.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
“Le Chemin”, written by Manly playwright Liz Eastland, tells the story of four strangers who embark on a pilgrimage to walk the Camino trails of the Pyrenees. As they journey through breath-taking landscapes and ancient villages, the physical trek becomes a voyage of spiritual self-discovery. Seemly unexplainable encounters lead to revelations and each travellers’ perception of themselves is challenged. Immediately on entering the theatre the audio-visual aesthetic sets the tone for the enticingly emotive journey that the audience will be taken on.
All seven of the actors in this play stole the show with their charismatic and believable performances as the characters’ relationships with each other and themselves developed and blossomed. Rory’s opening as the Priest was righteous and empathetic, in equal measure. Ambre’s embodiment of the gentle and laid back Lene was absolutely compelling and we were frozen in time as she sang. Jody’s strong, but unsure, Mallory presented truth in voice and movement. Christophe’s stoical but broken Henri was nuanced and clear. The positive outlook that oozed from Phil’s Nick was polished and infused the play with joy. The Oracle was rightly fox-like thanks to Valentine Bru and Daisy performed Kathryn’s ‘influence’ with hilarity and smooth vocal tones.
The delicately blue and white stuccoed, proscenium-arched stage of this glorious little theatre was utilised to great visual effect. The set varied and scenically clear, fitted the space as well as depicting the world of the story. The various characters and cultures depicted were gratifyingly given life through the carefully considered costuming and the choice of props and their use.
One must also make the point that the lighting and sound design engaged the senses by emotionally and physically immersing the audience in each scene, as the characters travelled through both the wilderness and the urban environment. The dynamic musical choices definitely kept the audience informed when crossing the border from France to Spain; uplifting to say the least.
Overall, this production is a must see for it’s heart-warming nature and stellar performances. It is a perfect 80 minutes (approximately) of wholesome and amusing entertainment and will leave you, quite possibly, wanting to take that journey that you have been promising yourself for far too long.
To book tickets to Le Chemin, please visit https://www.manlytheatregroup.com/.
