Dear Elena Sergeevna at The Old Fitz

Dear Elena Sergeevna

Dear Elena Sergeevna Rating

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1

Written in 1980 by Lyudmila Razumovskaya and later adapted into film, Dear Elena Sergeevna remains relevant as an exploration of morality, humanity, and the darker side of ambition. Elena is a schoolteacher who is about to celebrate her birthday alone while her mother is in hospital.

Her quiet, humble evening is interrupted by a group of her students who visit to celebrate, or so they say, bringing gifts and alcohol. Their true intention is masked by their polite manners and youthful joviality, trying to bring Elena onside so she willingly helps them with a secret plan. But she refuses to be their accomplice, so the students hold Elena captive as the evening descends into a tense battle between different generations and ideologies.

The current production at The Old Fitz Theatre, directed by Clara Voda, doesn’t quite manage to capture the sense of danger and tension so evident in the script. The cast try their best with string performances. Teodora Matović is well cast as Elena, convincingly embodying the bookish, conservative and idealistic teacher. Toby Carey, Harry Gilchrist, Faisal Hamza and Madeline Li brought the students to life with energy and exuberance, even if they sometimes stumbled on their lines. Each was perfectly cast for their respective character.

The only thing missing was tension. At no point did I feel concern for Elena’s safety or fear what students may be capable of. Much of the subtleness in the script was missing. There were many lost opportunities where menace and terror could brood underneath the ideological conflict, but the emotions were big, loud, and shallow.

Elena’s outburst fell flat despite Teodora’s excellent physical performance, embracing the emotions completely. It was just the wrong directorial choice. I could barely hear anything being screamed and failed to have any emotional reaction to what should have been an incredibly powerful moment. Most of the important emotional moments were the same: big and loud rather than powerful.

I liked how the characters were always engaged in some activity, even when they were not the focus of the story. There was always something else going on, and that level of detail is commendable. The actors were almost always on stage, so keeping busy and interesting when you don’t have any important plot action to deliver can be challenging, and they did this skillfully. I also really enjoyed how the dialogue was dynamic, with characters constantly talking over each other like we do in real life. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to immerse me in the performance, and by the end of the play, all I could think about was what could have been. It’s still a great, timeless story. Maybe next time.

Dear Elena Sergeevna is now playing at the Old Fitz Theatre in Woolloomooloo until the 11th of April.

To book tickets to Dear Elena Sergeevna, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/dear-elena-sergeevna.

Photographer: Noah David Perry

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‘Amber’: a sharp, soulful, and surprising journey through love and loss

Amber

Amber Rating

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5

Playwright and actress Nikita Waldron delivers a commanding performance in Amber, a thought-provoking and emotionally layered one-woman-led play exploring the romantic misadventures and inner life of a young Sydney woman. Waldron, who also wrote the script, is on stage for the full 90-minute production, holding the audience in the palm of her hand with equal parts vulnerability, wit and charm.

Amber is bright, likeable and emotionally raw – a young woman shaped by a generation raised on social media’s curated ideals of love and life. Her pursuit of romance follows a self-imposed checklist of how and when things should happen. It’s a narrative many young women will find deeply familiar, and one that older audience members may recognise in hindsight.

Waldron’s script is peppered with humour and razor-sharp observations about modern dating, self-worth, and the often-dizzying path to adulthood. The writing is clever and culturally relevant, with a rhythm that feels natural but purposeful. Dialogue zings with energy – smart, snappy, and fluently delivered. While some swearing enhanced the realism, a slightly lighter touch might have been just as effective.

Directed by Mehhma Malhi, and produced by Zoe Hollyoak, the play has a tight cast of five. The four supporting actors seamlessly slip between multiple roles, each performance distinct and believable. Esha Jessy, a NIDA graduate from Perth, plays Gabrielle, Amber’s best friend, with warmth and authenticity. Fellow NIDA grads Ashan Kumar, Harry Stacey, and Kurt Ramjan round out the ensemble, portraying Amber’s lovers and friends with nuance and credibility.

The play charts Amber’s life from puberty through early adulthood, following her turbulent journey through insecurity, grief, self-doubt, and finally, emotional clarity. Initially self-absorbed and desperate to fit the mould of ‘perfect love’, Amber spirals into anxiety and over-analysis, losing herself in the process of pleasing others.

Notably, the play introduces a spiritual dimension through Amber’s Catholic faith. Her evolving relationship with God parallels her romantic struggles, offering a subtle but poignant layer to her development – particularly in a moment where she rejects God, mirroring her rejection of the men who fail to meet her emotional needs.

Waldron’s diction is impeccable – every word lands clearly, a refreshing experience in an intimate theatre space. Her ability to hold extended monologues with dynamic pacing is impressive. However, the occasional longer pause between emotional beats could have helped punctuate the tension and allow the audience to fully absorb each turning point.

The Set design by Hailley Hunt is minimal yet inventive. The clever use of windows expands the visual space, while fluid prop transitions and subtle lighting shifts by Lighting Designer Izzy Morrisey lend the production a cinematic texture. Sound Designer and Composer Madeleine Picard’s strategically timed bursts of sound enhance the atmosphere without ever feeling intrusive.

The Old Fitz Theatre’s compact setting – just 55 seats – draws the audience into Amber’s inner world. It’s a venue that suits this intimate, confessional style of theatre perfectly.

‘Amber’ was the winner of the Rebel Wilson Comedy Commission (2021) through ATYP (Australian Theatre for Young People). As one critic aptly noted, the play “derails romantic comedies from the Brat-Pack era to the noughties and rebuilds a new kind of Rom-Com fit for our times.”

Waldron herself described the commission as “outrageously exciting,” recounting how she danced in the gym, then cried, laughed, and ate celebratory ice cream when she shared the news with her family. “Making people laugh and connect with something meaningful through theatre is my favourite thing to do,” she told ATYP.

Practicalities: The theatre is well air-conditioned – bring a light cardigan if you run cold. Audience demographics spanned two distinct groups: twenty-somethings who related directly to Amber’s world, and older theatregoers intrigued by a fresh perspective on a timeless topic.

Tickets start at $38.50 for Cheap Tuesdays, with regular pricing ranging from $49.50 to $82.50, and concessions are available. Parking is generally available in nearby streets, and the adjoining pub serves excellent food – making it a great night out all around.

To book tickets to Amber, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/amber.

Photographer: Phil Erbacher

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The Old Fitz Presents: The Female Of The Species

The Female of the Species

The Female of the Species Rating

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7

Arriving at the Old Fitz for the play, your night is already off to a great start. As the only surviving pub theatre in Australia, this atmospheric venue is a perfect setting for a play loosely inspired by a true Australian story of a feminist writer held hostage at gunpoint by a disgruntled student.

Upon entering the theatre space, the audience is immediately enveloped in the sounds of the Australian bush—chirping birds and buzzing cicadas—creating a vivid backdrop for the intimate setting of writer Margot Mason’s home. The stage is adorned with an eclectic array of books, hinting at the intellectual battles to unfold.

 

Lucy Miller delivers a standout performance as Margot, a revered feminist writer grappling with debilitating writer’s block. Her character embodies the struggle to stay relevant in a rapidly changing landscape of female representation and sexuality. Her latest book needs a new hook, but what new angle is there to explore on female sexuality?

Enter Jade Fuda as Molly Rivers, the fervent student whose admiration for Margot quickly reveals a darker undercurrent. Initially praising and fanatical, Molly’s obsession morphs into a chilling mission: to kill the woman whose work she holds responsible for her mother’s abandonment and subsequent suicide.

The dialogue shifts deftly between humour and tension as the play explores the evolving definitions of womanhood through the years. Margot and Molly’s banter serves as a comedic dissection of feminist ideals, questioning what it means to be an “ideal” woman—be it a nurturing homemaker, an ambitious careerist, or a childless self-improver. Margot is blamed for altering the “ideal” by swapping and changing the parameters in her every book, a relatable observation into the ever-shifting opinion of our own generation.

 

With the arrival of Molly’s exhausted homemaker daughter, Tess Thornton, who has disappointed Molly as she chose to dedicate herself to motherhood instead of a career, the three women represent polar opposites on the feminist scale. Who is the most “correct woman” you ask yourself as the story continues with the arrival of three men, equally as polarising and almost caricature like, leaving the audience reflecting on the complexities of female identity and the intersections of admiration and resentment.

The Female of the Species is not just a play but a thought-provoking exploration of feminism wrapped in sharp wit and dark humour.

Overall, with its strong performances, engaging script, and the Old Fitz’s charming ambience, this production is a must-see for anyone interested in the ongoing dialogue about womanhood in modern society.

The Female Of The Species season runs November 1 – 23, with session times as follows: 7pm Tuesday through Friday, 2pm and 7 pm Saturday, and 5 pm Sunday.

For tickets, please book @ https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/the-female-of-the-species

Photographer: Noni Carroll Photography

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