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The current production by the Richmond Players, a company which is in its 70th year, is a revival of husband and wife team Margery and Michael Forde’s play MILO’S WAKE.
I did a spot of research. The play was commissioned by Brisbane’s La Boîte theatre company. The playwriting couple wrote the play in 1999, it debuted in the Olympic year, had a highly successful season, and then toured. Michael based the title character loosely on his father, and his experience as an Irish immigrant.
As the title suggests the play pivots around the main character Milo’s wake. Milo’s wake just differs in one little detail. Milo hasn’t actually shuffled off his mortal coil. In his middle years he is very much alive!
Milo has just decided that he wants to hear what his family want to say about him whilst he is above ground.
I’m thinking that there is some kind of synchronicity going on as I recently watched an SBS documentary series hosted by Ray Martin called ‘The Last Goodbye’ in which Martin explores contemporary attitudes to how one wants to say one’s final goodbye. I finished watching the series and it ends with Ray Martin organising his own ‘mock’ wake with celebrities such as Kathy Lette saying their piece.
As the play proceeds one picks up a bit of nervousness in Milo. He was an ‘old school’ male, the breadwinner, and he ruled the family; his subservient wife, and his two sensitive sons, one of whom is no longer alive.
Maybe his nervousness can be attributed to him not feeling sure whether his son will be saying some not so kind things about him?!
There are plenty of strands to the play,. Music is a big componentwith the characters sometimes breaking in to song, with the support of a three piece band. The songs did not feel out of place. There was a beautiful rendition of a classic wedding ballad, the title eludes me, (beautifully sung by Brittany Tanti).
Another lovely moment was when Milo eloquently one of the world’s best love poems, ‘The Drinking Song’ by the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats. ‘Wine comes in at the mouth/ Love comes in at the eye/That is all you need to know of love/ Before you grow old and die/ I lift the glass to my mouth/ I look at you and I sigh’. So simple and brilliant.
The play’s other main component was the sharing of revealing family anecdotes with a few grotesque ones in the mix such as what Milo did with the family duck!
Carol Wimmer’s direction of the play is assured and comfortable in directing a play which breaks down the fourth wall with the actors often talking directly to the audience. As Milo tell us early on in the play, we (the audience) are all guests at his wake! However the most participation he gets from us is for us to gently sing along with some of the great Irish ballads.
Steve Wimmer’s set impressively transformed the community hall stage in to a public bar lounge with the main bar area, bar stools, tables and chairs, the appearance of a stained glass window, and far stage right is a mini sized coffin which Milo, very humorously, gently knocks on when he comes on stage.
Each of the actors gave focused performances and drew their characters well.
Sean Duff played the proud Milo who started with little and achieved much. He built up a successful cladding business, and has had a successful marriage and raised a family.
Katrina Ann-Pritchard played his wife Maura, a retiring, conservative woman, very much of her time.
Jony Taperski played their very articulate son Ned who was pleasantly surprised that his father, using the ubiquitous occasion of his wake, to announce his retirement and that he was officially handing over his business to him, giving him a more secure future. His was my favourite performance.
Brittany Tanti gave a warm performance as Ned’s new girlfriend Brooke who got somewhat a frosty reception from Milo which put her off a bit to start with but she ended up holding more than her own with the old man.
Michael Eadie played the barman Mick and Anne Duff and Rhonda James played two women having what seemed like a good natter at the back of the pub whilst Milo was having his wake.
Well positioned, on the stage left perimeter was a lively Irish band calling themselves the Wrens; Neil McKenzie, Christine Mitchell and Carole Pfeiffer. Oh, I had forgotten how sweetly the flute sounds…
James Winters lit the stage well, Dianne McKenzie helped with the costumes, and as well as playing Milo, Sean Duff provided dramaturgical support. The play had such a sound inherent dramatic structure that I am not sure what kind of support that this would have entailed.
MILO’S WAKE represents the Richmond Players final play for the year. It was performed in a theatre restaurant style with theatregoers enjoying, during the interval, enjoying High Tea with the afternoon performances, and a two course meal with evening performances.
A high note for the Richmond Players to end on, MILO’S WAKE is playing for more three Saturdays; Saturday 16th November, 23rd November, and the 30th November with two performances each Saturday at 2pm and 6.30pm.
Production photography by Penelope Johnson
www.richmondplayers.com.au
