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New Theatre’s Fighting: A Captivating Insight

19 March 2025 Linda Lokhee

Fighting Rating

★★★★★

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What’s involved in one single day in the life of you?

Do you wake up, have an ordinary and satisfying day at work, return home and feel contented with life? If you do, then you are lucky. In “Fighting”, now performing at the New Theatre in Newtown, Character A struggles through just one day of his life, and we are in the front seat, travelling along his emotional rollercoaster with him.

“Fighting”, written by Xavier Coy, is about the highs and lows of someone with bipolar disorder. Having been diagnosed with bipolar during the 2020 lockdown, the playwright felt that the disease had previously been portrayed on-screen as someone who was “crazy”. Xavier wanted to write a play dedicated to authentically depicting the complexities of living with bipolar. Written as a dark comedy, “Fighting” won the Silver Gull Award in 2022.

Sound designer Mehran Mortezaei’s choice of the opening song was perfect. Nirvana’s “Lithium” with lyrics such as “I’m so ugly”, “I’m so lonely” and “I love you, I’m not gonna crack” hints at the character’s struggles of self-loathing and internal angst, yet also has the strength and will to keep going, to survive.

Character A wakes up and is immediately inundated with noise and voices. Character B, played by Sophie Highmore, is one of hope. She is encouragement; the calm voice of reason who reminds Character A to do the exercises recommended by his psychologist when he feels anxious or heightened. Character C is the voice of melancholy. Played by David Woodland, Character C is easily recognised as one of chaos, self-loathing, destruction, and darkness.

Jay James-Moody as Character A pulled me into his world immediately with his fast-paced self-talk, a dialogue of descriptive analogies of how his body is feeling as he navigates through his workday. He is a Vodaphone salesman at a company owned by a couple, a woman in her sixties named Helga and her older partner Cliff, who have an active sex life and don’t mind sharing details with Character A. This causes him to be very uncomfortable yet, at the same time, provides a lightness to some heavy scenes. Helga, played by Sophie, is a caring boss. Cliff is a pensioner, an elderly gentleman and David’s interpretation of this character is hilarious, right down to his mannerisms – a comedic tongue popping out as he speaks needs to be mentioned!

In the course of his day, he comes across different customers, also played by Sophie and David. These customers add a scatter of comedy amongst some darker scenes. These customers are all different. Some are odd, such as the ‘conspiracy theorist’ (“you lost the sale of someone who came in wanting to buy a phone”- taunts Character Chaos). Another is a nonchalant customer (“Why even bother?”), a young teen reminiscent of a fourteen-year-old bubble tea drinker with clearly no serious plans to purchase a phone or a plan, and a customer Character A in Salesman-on-Fire mode pitches to and convinces him to buy a phone and “Be here! Be now! Be Somebody!”

Character A still holds the pain of grieving the breakup of his former girlfriend, and Jay’s portrayal of this is sharp as he tries to use strategies throughout the day to remain centred in the moment after he sees her when she enters his Vodaphone store and back into his life unexpectedly. An upcoming date and all the customers give the audience a chance to witness Character A’s fluctuating moods, from one scale of calm to the other end, hypermania, along with Hope and Chaos’ responses to these situations.

Throughout “Fighting” there is no silence, no peace for the protagonist, and it is exhausting for him. There is only Hope’s guidance and Character C’s sharp barbs, his pointed and specific insults that result in intense self-loathing. At one point, David’s portrayal of Character C‘s unrelenting mocking and scornful words combined with him physically circling him and the loud fast heartbeats of the sound design combine to create a breathstopping scene. Even Hope’s words, his own voice of survival, is silenced during this scene. The lighting by Robin Legal highlights Character A. This scene is a culmination and very intense, and there is a trigger warning of suicidal ideation in this play.

Director Xavier Coy’s production is emotional, the scriptwriting and acting of the company has successfully portrayed the disintegration of the mind, the feeling of being a stranger in a world always on the outside looking in and a loneliness that comes along with someone suffering from a mental illness such as bipolar. We felt it here, and it is a place that no one would choose to be.

“Fighting” is playing at New Theatre, 542 King St Newtown from 18 March – 12 April 2025.

Tickets: www.newtheatre.org.au/fighting

Full $37
Concessions, Groups (6+) $32
New Theatre Members $25
Thrifty Thursdays $25
Preview $20

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.

Linda Lokhee

It’s Only A Play – Pymble Players arrive at The Zenith Theatre

15 March 2025 Linda Lokhee

It’s Only A Play Rating

★★★★★

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It’s evening in a New York townhouse. Plush pillows adorn the bed, and the room furniture’s white colour palette portrays understated luxury. Jazz plays as the audience is seated. I loved the director and set designer Joy Sweeney’s selection of extra-long curtains, which gave the set a high ceiling and confirmed the architecture of an upper-class Manhattan residence.
This is a room of affluence and perhaps also influence.

Terrence McNally’s It’s Only A Play could be set in any era, but it’s soon clear from the references to Broadway musicals mentioned that it’s set in the present day. We join a group of creatives (and a coat check boy) after the opening night of playwright Peter Austin’s (Nick Roberts) play named “The Golden Egg”. What “The Golden Egg” is about remains a mystery for the entirety of the play, but it doesn’t matter. What matters to these characters is how it is received by Broadway’s top theatre critics. McNally’s play shows how powerful the weight of a good or bad theatre review can affect the future of a production and the survival of some theatre venues.

This is a comedy with many big characters, oversized personalities, and even larger egos. James Wicker (played with self-centred relish by Ross Alexander) is Peter’s best friend who has come to support Peter on his big night. James had previously turned down Peter’s offer to play a character in his play, instead choosing the path of acting in a long-running series on television. Was he viewed as a sellout as he swapped over to television? It was interesting to see how Ross portrayed friendship with his character’s feelings of jealousy over casting, and the interaction between he and Peter with unfavourable comparisons being made between being a Broadway theatre actor and a television series actor.

Gus (Cameron Drake) the wannabe actor, delivers a light hearted distraction whilst everyone waits for the reviews to come in. He brings several coats into the room, ceremoniously announcing who they belong to, and dumps them on the bed, which gains a lot of laughs from the audience. Many coats have their own recognisable star factor, including coats from Les Miserables, Cats, Hamilton and Joseph and the Technicolour Coat. There’s even a musical nod to Wicked performed by Gus.

Heather Pitt’s character Virginia Noyes has a feisty ‘tell-em-how-it-is’ spunk. Virginia starred in Peter’s play that night and eagerly waits to see how her return to the stage is received. Her retelling of a certain dance onstage due to an ankle monitor was funny.

Julia Budder, played by Cassandra Gorman, is the producer of “The Golden Egg”. She decided to back Peter’s play and brings hope to the room, as well as a certain fragility. Clive Hobson’s character Ira Drew is a harsh film critic. He throws a barb at Peter: “I like you personally, it’s your play I can’t stand” is one insulting comment, amongst many others.

Tim Wotherspoon, who plays the director of “The Golden Egg” Frank Finger, is a standout. Frank Finger is a flamboyant, sensitive and dramatic character, full of hair tosses and bouts of kleptomania. His highly successful previous projects prompted a potential imposter syndrome line “I need a flop!”. The dramatics with his ‘invisible cloak’ (a nod to Harry Potter perhaps?) had the audience laughing.

Director Joy Sweeney has successfully led The Pymble Players’ first performance into their new performance theatre venue – The Zenith Theatre in Chatswood. Congratulations to The Pymble Players on their opening night.

Finally, what did the theatre critic Ben Brantley from The New York Times and other theatre critics have to say about “The Golden Egg”? No spoilers here – the second act is filled with the characters’ reactions, so you’ll have to see it to find out!

It’s Only a Play performances:

14 March 2025 – 22 March 2025.
Tickets: $35 Concession Card holders $30

To book tickets to It’s Only A Play, please visit www.pymbleplayers.com.au/its-only-a-play.

Photographer: Daniel Ferris

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.

Linda Lokhee

Every Note Speaks What Words Can’t

15 March 2025 Faith Jessel

No Love Songs Rating

★★★★★

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What is it about a love song? It awakens something in us we can’t put into words. Love is the ultimate subject—it defines us, moves us, and makes us count. It comes in many forms, each as complex and transformative as the next.

Through bold storytelling and evocative melodies, No Love Songs swiftly shifts from the thrill of a new love to the profound, painful reality of losing yourself within it. Overflowing with enormous compassion and warmth, it delves into the raw intricacies of identity, relationships, and loss.

Inspired by the real-life experiences of co-writers Laura Wilde and her partner Kyle Falconer, the show draws from Falconer’s second solo album, No Love Songs for Laura (2021). Co-written by Johnny McKnight, delves into the relationship dynamics between Lana, a new mother, and Jessie, a songwriter at a crossroads. Beyond exploring career ambitions and new parenthood, it fearlessly addresses the often-unspoken challenges of postnatal depression. While this may seem like a confronting topic (and it is) the show’s heartfelt authenticity and humour make it both engaging and ultimately hopeful.

The success of this show hinges on the power and skill of its two actors, who bring a deeply personal journey to life through a duologue of contrasting perspectives that navigates the complexities of parenthood. Through soliloquies and inner monologues, the audience gains insight into their internal struggles, highlighting the deep yet often amusing gap between what they feel and what they express.

An undeniable spark lit up the stage whenever Keegan Joyce and Lucy Maunder performed together. Opposites truly attract—Joyce’s self-effacing, endearing charisma perfectly complemented Maunder’s bold, brassy power. Both hit every note effortlessly, their palpable chemistry making each moment feel relatable and electric, leaving me to wonder if they were a couple in real life.

The Foundry is the perfect new space for this inaugural musical – intimate enough to capture moments of stillness, yet expansive enough for the vocals to soar. The minimal yet impactful musical accompaniment—guitar, keyboard, and percussion—acts as the third character, subtly deepening the emotional layers of the story without overshadowing the intimate moments. The songs were catchy, not Top 40 hits, but expertly crafted to integrate and enhance the narrative. At times, the atmosphere strayed into rock opera territory, amplifying the intensity but there were also poignant, quieter moments that could have been pared down just a bit to sustain the overall momentum of the performance.

What stood out most was that Lana and Jessie felt like real people, pouring out their hearts, songs, and stories while stumbling through a world full of challenges beyond anyone’s full understanding or control. Their dynamic felt less like a performance and more like a confession.

As the audience shuffled out, an elderly gentleman turned to me—a complete stranger—his voice heavy with emotion, and said, “I now understand what my mother went through.” I paused, absorbing the weight of his words, and replied, “Me too.” At that moment, it became clear why Wilde and Falconer wrote this show.

Postpartum depression remained a taboo topic until the late 20th century, with stigma lingering despite growing awareness in the 2000s. This story has rarely been told publicly – let alone shared on stage- but it resonates powerfully across generations. By sharing these deeply personal experiences, we help others, and ourselves, to connect, heal, and feel less alone. When there is no villain, no antagonist, no clear balance – sometimes, that makes both life and theatre equally difficult and beautiful.

This is not your usual escapist musical filled with hearts and roses. It’s an aching, engrossing love letter to the messy, wonderful, awful chaos of being human. Great stories unravel hearts and open minds. Raw, cathartic, and unflinchingly authentic, No Love Songs delivers just that.

No Love Songs is on tour around the country. For date/time sessions for your local area and to book tickets to No Love Songs, please visit https://www.nolovesongs.com.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.

Faith Jessel

Iphigenia in Splott: Theatre Review

14 March 2025 Steve Willems

Iphigenia in Splott Rating

★★★★★

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The Old Fitz is a small and intimate theatre in the basement of the charming Old Fitzroy Hotel in Woolloomooloo, providing the perfect setting for this powerful, modern Greek tragedy. Gary Owen’s one-woman monologue was first performed in 2015 and has gone on to become a classic staple of international theatre that’s remained just as important and relevant today as it was ten years ago.

Effie is a tough, spirited and crass young woman from Cardiff, Wales, who is proud of her rebellious nature and life of clubbing, drinking, and sleeping around. When society looks on women like Effie, dressed in their tracksuit pants and sneakers, smoking and drinking and swearing, they can be quick to judge. And this initial judgement of others and its impact sits at the very heart of the play.

Meg Clarke brought Effie to life with a heart-felt and powerful performance. She’s a natural storyteller, never faltering or losing her accent. There was just one moment, near the end, where the emotions seemed to overpower her and she needed a discreet moment to get composed. More power to her, I say, for being that deeply invested in the character.

At first, I wondered where the monologue was going and why this play is considered a ‘must see.’ Why should I care about Effie’s humorous hijinks, drinking prowess, and day to day life. Obviously, this was all establishing her character and circumstances.

As the narrative developed, and the stakes were raised, it was captivating. Looking around the audience, everyone was sitting forward in their seats, absolutely engrossed in the performance, eager to find out what was going to happen next. There were real moments of shock, tension, humour, beauty, and tragedy that we can all relate to in some way or another, leading to a powerful and tragic climax that will have some people reconsidering how they view others in society. About the many hidden sacrifices that go unacknowledged. Unappreciated. About how we are all human. And I guess that’s what makes this story so captivating. It’s so REAL.

Lucy Clements’ direction was fantastic, making the most of the sparse set and limited space. The timing, the pacing, the humour and tragedy, were all perfectly crafted to keep the audience deeply enthralled. There were no distractions from the story. The entire production team, working invisibly behind the scenes to support Meg’s performance, should be commended.

Everything from the costume, sets, lighting and sound helped build the world that Effie travelled through; from the nightclubs to hospitals to suburban streets. After Effie delivered her final, powerful monologue I felt drained and empty. There was a moment of real reflection that was hard to snap out of. And then, as the lights came up to reveal Meg Clarke bowing to the audience, they couldn’t help but give her a standing ovation. And I think that speaks for itself.

Iphigenia in Splott is currently playing at the Old Fitz Theatre in Woolloomooloo, Sydney until March 22.

To book tickets to Iphigenia in Splott, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/iphigenia-in-splott.

Photographer: Phil Erbacher

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.

Steve Willems

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