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Why do playwrights come up with such awkward titles for their work? Hubris and Humiliation. I had to look up the word hubris, Definition. Excessive pride and self confidence. Is the play going to be about Novak Djokovic, and the humiliation he would feel if he did not become champion again. Sorry I have watched too much tennis and too much Novak.
To Lewis Treston’s play! The publicity advises that the show is a contemporary queer take on Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Never having read Austen, I went in to the show ‘cold’, and there was no problem at all . You don’t even have a quick look at the Wikipedia page.
The scenario to HUBRIS AND HUMILIATION sees that raucous mother Bernice (Celia Ireland) has squandered most of her money and tells her only son Elliott that he needs to move from Brisbane to Sydney and find and marry a rich gay guy so that the family can survive financially. Elliott’s sister Paige (Melissa Kahraman) is close to her brother and is none too happy that her brother is leaving.
Bernice directs his son to move in with his uncle Roland Andrew McFarlane) when he gets to Sydney. Roland is welcoming and reassures Elliott that he will be able to introduce him to the upper class gay scene. At the first party Elliott goes to he meets the very handsome, austere, Wildean opera director Warren Battersby. There is a major attraction, as well as repulsion, between them, the journey of which is a major part of the show.
There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot which as it weaves its way and becomes more and more incredulous and farcical. The dialogue is super quick, but don’t worry if you miss something in all Somehow, Treston manages to bring all the shenanigans back home, and crafts a suitable ending.
Talented director Dean Bryant knows his way around a good comedy with credits including last years’s production of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband for the Melbourne Theatre Company. In his director’s note in the program Bryant wrote that the experience of directing the Wilde play helped him to guide the cast to deliver Treston’s complex text with a light touch. His light touch is one of the highlights of the play.
The cast are great. If for nothing else, just see this production for the high spirited, superb acting. Roman Delo is a good anchor as the main character, Elliot, Celia Ireland gives the comic performance of the night as his mum, Melissa Kahraman foilows close behind as Elliot’s manic, drama queen sister Paige, veteran thespian Andrew McFarlane is in cruise mode as the ‘old queen’ Roland who is keeping more than a few secrets to himself, and Henrietta Enyonam Amevor commands the stage in a trio of roles, my favourite being as the obnoxious to the point of vile artist, Yuki. Yuki by name, yucky by nature.
Ryan Panizza gives a fine performance as Elliot’s love interest, Warren. One of the most comic scenes sees Warren go and have a shower (off stage) in preparation of finally consummating his love for Elliot. He comes back on stage in a towel to find other people are now in the room. The action. then takes a predictable turn. Most times when someone comes on stage with just a towel, at some time, in some way, the towel will come off!
Bryant’s creative team come up with a vibrant, well realised world for the actors to work in; Isabel Hudson’s edgy set and costume design, Alexander Berlage’s, spot on lighting, Mathew Frank’s breezy sound and music scoring,
Still not sure about the title. Anyhow, why judge a play by its title? The play is a winner.
A Sydney Theatre Company production, Lewis Treston’s HUBRIS AND HUMILIATION is playing the Wharf 1 Theatre at the Sydney Theatre Company until 4 March 2023.
Featured image : Andrew McFarlane and Ryan Panizza in HUBRIS AND HUMILIATION. Production photography by Prudence Upton