Above: (l-r) Drew Wilson, Wesley Senna and Annabelle Kablean are a formidable trio in this play’s Australian premiere, produced by Rogue Projects. This and featured image by Phil Erbacher.
This production’s slick, well-structured romp through reality offers a well-cast, interlocked journey through predicament, change, changing trajectory and unpredictable, with unplanned doorways that can change our outlook and the nature of our need forever.
Once again, the expertly curated content at Qtopia brings us relevant, progressive and worthwhile storytelling in theatrically successful, impactful and entertaining packaging.
This tale, told in short sharp scene instalments that flip backwards and forwards in time is dripping with onstage chemistry and a clear outlining of both calm and confusion.
Heather (Annabelle Kablean) and Chris (Wesley Senna)start us off with their in-store meeting and magnetic banter about books. The relationship that ensues is engaging, real and loving.
But slow realisation comes for Chris, who travels for work and meets David (Drew Wilson) falls in love with a second person, showing his sexuality and emotional capabilities are rapidly morphing.
This development is done in secret, away from his marriage and domestic life with Heather before the snapshots and duality on stage lead to a very pointed confrontation. The contrasting, diverse natures presented for the three characters form an intriguing mesh and rewarding ensemble of acting efforts here.
With three strong and contrasted characters before us, the workshopping of the situation is fiery and nuanced and respectfully, tenderly realistic.
Above: Drew Wilson and Wesley Senna. Photo by Phil Erbacher.
There is some cracker poetic imagery and one liners that reflect the gravity of the situation and help us empathise with characters.
This includes the concept of gravity helping stars not collide and stay in a safe orbit. And we watch as the orbits of the three very contrasting personalities hurtle inevitably toward each other.
This is an important piece about polyamory, bisexuality, marriage-plus and relationships over time. Its contemporary, vivid storytelling is however essentially about honest communication and consideration of the emotional and developmental predicaments of others.
This discussion through humour, savage clashes and superb, subtle onstage physicality covers a range of reaction, confusion and caring.
Annabelle Kablean as Heather, the rose amongst the contrasted male thorns in this complex growing garden of lust, love, regular routines, bisexual and polyamorous adventures and genuine, various, deep connection. Her explosive realisation of changes to the decade long marriage she is in is a joy to watch.
By contrast, Wesley Senna’s unravelling and irrevocable trajectory with confusions, restraint, contradiction and dual commitment is engagingly portrayed by Wesley Senna.
Above: Drew Wilson as David. Photo by Phil Erbacher.
The physicality displayed by Senna and Drew Wilson’s David has great impact. So too does David’s character morphing from good time gay boy into an integral, solid part of the triad relationship.
There is a smattering of humour along the treacherous path to negotiation of interlocked loves. The Polyamory Pride Night I attended (a Bisexual Pride Night performance was to follow on a separate night) saw many in the crowd laughing, whispering to each other throughout, checking and comforting each other and giving a standing ovation at the play’s hopeful, compromising conclusion.
This no-holds-barred triple biopic dynamically shifts about the stage devoid of set or large props, with a heighted emphasis on the characters and their plight.
Above: Annabelle Kablean as Heather and Drew Wilson as David work through the status quo and plan for the future. Photo by Phil Erbacher.
Clothing items, books, phones and accessories are reached for from the bow the stage level when needed, but the focus on the lovers in sitchu and the intelligent script from Bradford Elmore (USA) are paramount for the well-drawn paramours-plus who can’t live without each others and a complex connection.
Qtopia has once again supported a premiere performance of an insightful, necessary play with high production values and hard-working believable cast contributions in this emotional food-for-thought, richly nuanced tranche-de-modern-vie. Recommended for all to try, no matter how you love.
Gravity plays at Qtopia’s Loading Dock Theatre until November 29.
