In the playwright and director Lech Mackiewicz’s own words, his new play ‘NaGL’ is, “a take on contemporary Australian society told through the perspective of a dysfunctional family. Not being able to stay in the same room, let alone get on with one another, they face the most inconvenient truth….they are family…The family represents a nation, metaphorically speaking, a nation divided yet united,”

Mackiewicz’s family comprises of the selfish Italian father Manolo (Keith Alexander), his pragmatic British wife Grace (Jennie Dibley), their temperamental teenage children, the feisty Vata (Malina Mackiewicz), her subservient brother, Roman (Tom Pelik), and local Koori, who has affectionately become part of their family, Uncle Chuk (Billy McPherson). The audience follows them over the duration of two forty minute halves, as family members have food fights with each other, chase each other around with vodka bottles, threaten to divorce each other, and constantly pack and unpack suitcases.

My response to ‘NaGL’ was mixed. My take on the play was that it was about how the Europeans have created dysfunctional lives for themselves since they landed in Australia two hundred years ago, and how the Aborigines have much to be aggrieved about.

I found the style of Mackiewicz’s production interesting but a little heavy handed. The influences behind the work were clearly works of the theatre of the absurd playwrights. The set was the ultimate in dishevelment, with the family’s living room in chaos, with everything all over the place, and upside down. The style was very theatrical with the actors heavily made up with painted faces, lips, and dyed hair. The play was put together in a quirky style, being presented as a boxing match over 18 rounds with a different placard being read at the start of each new round.

The writing came across as too cerebral, and at times, obscure. It did feel as if the play, as a whole, would have been more effective if it had been more crafted and polished.

The cast worked well with challenging material. My pick of the cast; Billy McPherson was a natural as Uncle Chuk, Keith Alexander was great playing the much older Manolo, and Malina Mackiewicz showed a strong stage presence as Vata.

A night at the theatre that would appeal more to those with avant-garde tastes, ‘NaGL’ plays the Tap Gallery, 278 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst until September 25, 2010.