Are you in the mood for a clear, inviting and poignant night at the theatre? Then the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of American playwright Thornton Wilder’s 1938 Pulitzer Prize winning three Act drama ‘Our Town’ (made into a film version in 1940 starring William Holden) fits the bill.

Wilder’s play comes across as a kind of exquisitely crafted photo album as he writes about the experiences of two American families, the Webb and Gibbs families, over the period of 13 years starting in 1901 as they live out their days in the sleepy country town of Grovers Corner.

In an inspired narrative choice, Wilder uses a narrator, called the Stage Manager, to chart the experiences of the neighbouring families. The Webb and Gibbs families are inextricably bound up together when the Webb’s daughter, Emily and the Gibbs’s son, George, fall in love, get married and start a family.

Director Iain Sinclair, in his main-stage STC debut, helms a crisply performed and well staged revival. Pip Runciman’s set, Jennifer Irwin’s period costumes, Paul Charlier’s soundscape and Nick Schlieper’s lighting frame the action well.

The play’s over-arching theme of time passing and how we humans, caught up in life’s struggles, travel around with blindfolds and fail to appreciate the good parts to life, holds up well.

As the Stage Manager, Darren Gilshenan gives a great lead performance, eloquently holding court from a chair on the extreme left of the stage, as well as filling in playing a few bit parts.

It’s a dream cast with fine performances coming from actors of the calibre of Russell Kiefel, Susan Prior, Anita Hegh, Christopher Stollery, Maeve Dermody, Robin Goldsworthy, Frank Whitten and Toni Scanlon.

Steve Toulmin soundscape design worked well.

A treat from beginning to end, ‘Our Town’ plays the Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House until Saturday 30th October, 2010.