The playwright Aran Thangaratnam, in. his program note, writes, “Like lockdown or a weekend away we constantly find ourselves stuck in place by social contracts, forced to do things we would never do on our own voluntarily. It’ll be fun, your friends tell you. Three days away in the snow! These people are great! You deserve a break ! Ah fuck it, let’s just go. What’s the worst that could happen”
In Aren’s play older brother Niv(Dushan. Philips) finds himself in a good place in his life. He has found love with his partner Mae (Brooke Lee). Niv has gone away for a long weekend with Mae to an upmarket chalet. He invites his younger brother Sai (Kaivu Suvarna) to join them.
The play starts with Sai and his girlfriend Kate (Rose Adams) outside the chalet, getting ready to knock on the door. There’s a lot of nervous anticipation. A very relatable scene.
To begin with, everything starts well with good natured banter. Niv is on a health kick and boats that he has become a vegan which amuses Sai. He tells Sai that he has started a start-up business which involves a new app and asks Sai to join the company. Sai says he will think about it. Things turn a little murky when Niv and Mae are icy towards Kate.
Verdict. This was a good version of what I call a ‘hothouse’ play where a group of people live in each other pockets for a designated period of time. The structure of the play is easy for the playwright to navigate as the ending falls when the time period elapses and everybody heads home. The tone of the play is comic and there are many times when the audience had a a good laugh.
My favourite scenes were comic ones; when the two couples decide to play a fast moving game of charades, and another scene where they decide to imbibe in a bit of drug via Kate’s job as a pharmacist.
Performances were good. My favourite performance was by Rose Adams as Kate. Hers was an interesting character. At first, Kate came across as a rather drab, daggy, characters who reveals more colour later in the play.
Dushan Philips played the loud, rather aggressive Niv who always seems to be looking for a fight. I guess one would call him the play’s protagonist.
Kaivu Suvarna played Sai who spent much of the play on the ‘back foot’. Brooke Lee was the feisty non binary Mae.
Bridget Baoldis’ direction had good focus and pacing. Rachel Lee’s lighting design had some nice touches.Daniella Esposito’s bridging music between scenes worked well. Matilda Woodroofe’s set design of a modern chalet looked good and her costume designs were effective.
Recommended, a Malthouse Theatre Company production presented by Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Aran Thangaratnam’s STAY WOKE is playing the Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton Street, Darlinghurst until the 17th April 2022.
Featured image Kaivu Suvarna, Rose Adams and Brooke Lee in STAY WOKE. Production photography by Phoebe Powell.
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