Australia’s premiere playwright David Williamson has explored many different worlds in his long and illustrious career,- the world of an Aussie Rules team in THE CLUB and a radio shock-jock in INFLUENCE, just to name a few. In his new play NOTHING PERSONAL shines his torch on life inside a leading book publishing company.
Traditionally Williamson plays feature a battle of wills between its leading players. So it is with NOTHING PERSONAL. Leading lady Greta Scacchi stars as Bea, a tough, resolute middle-aged woman, who has headed the Company for many years. Her literary tastes are conservative, and she openly declares her favourite book is George Eliot’s MIDDLEMARCH, (described by Virginia Woolf as, ‘one of the few English novels written for grown up people’). She is not comfortable with the current writing trend that focuses on drugs, sex and nihilism, a style of writing dubbed, ‘dirty realism’.
Bea has the support of her hard working, long-time and loyal assistant, Roxanne, deftly played by Julie Hudspeth. There is another camp in the Company, headed by beautiful and ambitious head of marketing Naomi, (Emma Jackson delivers a stand-out, compelling performance) who are championing this new wave of writing. Nothing personal, but Naomi has her eye on Bea’s job!
Things come to a head when Kelvin, the Chairman of the Board, hears that Bea knocked back the publication of one of the new wave of books which ended up being a huge hit for one of their competitors. Naomi is gloating. For the first time in her distinguished career, Bea is thinking that her days at the top may be numbered.
Williamson’s latest drama leaves some lasting impressions. The playwright doesn’t hold back on his thoughts on the current literary scene. Bea comments, ‘Winning the Premier’s Literary Award is the literary equivalent of winning Australian Idol’. There’s an inference coming from the play that Williamson isn’t a fan of the new writing (is there a bit of a literary traditionalist in Williamson?) and he , as well, raises the question as to whether publishing companies are interested enough in the literary merit of the works that they publish.
With NOTHING PERSONAL, Williamson depicts a world that is heavily female dominated. Bea and Naomi are portrayed as two highly capable women whose personal lives suffer as a result of the emphasis that they place on their careers. Bea has a grown up daughter, Lucy, subtly played by Rachael Cooper, who still holds grudges for the way that she was neglected by her mother during some difficult years.
Professionally assured, Naomi is struggling in her private life. She has a highly competitive, status obsessed relationship with her boyfriend; architect Simon, neatly played by Matthew Moore. One can only speculate as to whether Williamson sees this competitive aspect as a typical aspect of the relationships many young people are now having. As well, Naomi feels guilty for not having spent more time with her dying mother Carla, played a little too directly by Jeanie Drynan.
As has sometimes been depicted in the media, to telling effect, sophisticated, sleazy men still exist even in the most established of companies. Andrew McFarlane gives a strong performance as Chairman of the Board Kelvin, a slippery smooth, manipulative wealthy playboy, who comes with a very handy asset, his own private jet! Even the ever so independent, self made young woman Naomi finds Kelvin’s advances difficult to handle.
Steven Butler’s set with everything, including bookshelves and tableware, perspex and transparent, works well. Lissette Endacott’s costumes were spot on in character with Naomi’s tight fitting black outfit and Bea draping an elegant shawl over her more conservative blouse and pants.
Recommended, Mark Kilmurry’s world premiere production of NOTHING PERSONAL opened on Friday 9th December and plays till Saturday January 28, 2012 at the Ensemble theatre, 78 McDougall street, Kirribilli.
(c) David Kary
15th December, 2011
Tags: Sydney Play Of The Week, NOTHING PERSONAL, David Williamson, Ensemble Theatre, Mark Kilmurry, Greta Scacchi, Emma Jackson, Andrerw McFarlane, Jeanie Drynan, Rachael Cooper, Julie Hudspeth, Matthew Moore, Stephen Butler, Peter Neufeld, Lissette Endacott, Natalie Boog.