paige jenkins

The Arts Theatre Cronulla’s latest production of ‘Seventeen’ written by Matthew Whittet and directed by Susan Geldart is somewhat of a living time capsule.

Centered around 6 seventeen-year-olds on the final day of high school, this coming-of-age story is told by a group of older actors whose own high school experience was a little while ago. The decision to have these actors revisit this stage of life really enforced the nostalgia of that moment. Having graduated not too long ago myself, I vividly remember this period of uncertainty and excitement mixed with a healthy dose of ‘what on Earth do I do now?’, and I think that this cast really nailed it.

From the moment I walked through the theatre doors and saw a swing set and monkey bars, I was transported back to a time where the only things I had to worry about were whether I’d completed my maths homework and who I was sitting with at lunch that day. Over the next 90 or so minutes, we were then brought into that world, and hit with a bittersweet kaleidoscope of emotions. Fear, hope, love, uncertainty and so much more, twisted into a chaotic blend of what it means to be young are told through the lens of hindsight.

This play has so many twists and turns, and you never really know what the characters are going to come out with next. There is a bit of a shock and awe style to the script, particularly with the direction of some of the characters stories and relationships, that had the audience enraptured.

The underlying theme of preservation, which is what I mean by a living time capsule, ‘Seventeen’ is both stuck in a moment in time, and evolving before our eyes. We, as people, are forever living out moments that we may or may not know the impact they’ll have on us in the future, and this story shows us how beautiful and terrifying that can be. Particularly as kids, we try to hold on to the people who have shaped us, sometimes longer than we should and these actors really brought to life that craving for a last piece of stability before morning changes everything forever.

Mike and Lizzy’s sibling bond was brought to life so perfectly by Scott Brawley and Narelle Jaeger, respectively. As the younger sister to brother’s, it was like watching a re-enactment of my own childhood, doing whatever you could to hang out with them even when they were “too cool” to be seen with their little sister. They bickered like it was sport, but when moments of vulnerability crept in, you saw how deeply they defined each other’s world. Lizzy’s ability to see straight through her older brother, despite being 14 was piercing. That’s the beauty of Whittet’s writing and Geldart’s direction. There’s this clear understanding that siblings hold our history, even when we’re desperate to outrun it.

Thematically, the play hums with “no regrets” energy. It’s not about recklessly throwing caution to the wind, but rather about fully showing up. For your friends, for the moments you can’t get back, and arguably most importantly, for the version of yourself you’ll only ever be once.

By the final moments, I found myself grinning and tearing up in equal measure. I have to commend the beauty of Patrick Cranney’s portrayal of Ronny. With or without dialogue, you were encapsulating. The ability to convey everything with just your body and face is incredible. Cranney gave his character such raw authenticity that I simply couldn’t look away, even when I was trying my hardest not to cry in a room full of people.

The play captures the messy, contradictory magic of being 17, and this group of actors are just as magic when they take the stage together. There is a language warning for younger audiences, but I cannot recommend this enough. ‘Seventeen’ is running at the Arts Theatre Cronulla, until September 6, make sure to grab a ticket before it’s too late!

To book tickets to Seventeen, please visit https://www.artstheatrecronulla.com.au/seventeen.

Photographer: Jeffrey Gall, Mark Phillips, Maria Franklin

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