Aesthesia Entertainment and Newtown Theatre recently presented the Australian premiere production of Jules Feiffer’s play ‘Carnal Knowledge’ which was made into the 1970s movie starring Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel.

‘Carnal Knowledge’ starts with a love triangle set at a university. Sandy falls in love with a fellow student, Susan. Sandy’s college friend Jonathon also fancies Susan and decides to pursue Susan with success, and without Sandy’s knowledge. From their college years the play charts the journey of its characters as they approach middle age.

Andrew Doyle directed the production with Michael Booth playing Sandy, Clarence White playing Jonathon and Ainslie McGlynn playing Susan. The support cast included Olivia de Vere, Kimberley Hews, Danielle Crane and Jude Bowler. The set was designed by Melinda Nassif with lighting by Lynden Jones.

This ‘Carnal Knowledge felt like too diffuse an experience to really savour. The stakes were set too high at the beginning and I expected a much more dramatic play to unfold.