Above : Ensemble cast perform some tennis stroke choreography.
The 2021 Sydney Festival is a season of ‘Australian Made’ events. How fitting then is this inclusion of a stage event about an Australian sports figure, as sport is such an intrinsic part of our national identity and priority set.
Australians all hold a fond spot or at least a keen awareness for sport and those who represent our country successfully through it. This stage biopic, with its powerful serve of humanity, provides a beautifully slick and fit description of twice Wimbeldon winner Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s emergence onto the world sports stage and long career success.
As with cricket, most Australians have viewed a quantity of tennis action and appreciate the adulation and mythology surrounding local and international stars of this sport. The tennis star’s story, identity, family and bravery finds every bit of the tennis court set.
Leaping the net, rushing out from baselines and switching opposing quadrants, this energetic and heart-swelling history engages from the outset.
The theatre set is a fine chameleon, volleying fine imagery from video designer Mic Gruchy, as well as social history and emotional insight our way. The combination of sound design and court surface is an incredible ace which conveys environment, emotion and pressure quickly, colourfully and with admirable bluntness.
Above: Aspects of the tennis star’s identity are explored through powerul imagery and movement.
Stunning script and direction from Andrea James features hard-hitting precision when portraying familiar characters, predicaments and sports legends.
Characters often reveal difficult truths and feelings heralded from the height of the tennis umpire’s chair or pacing the court. The young and growing star Evonne Goolagong as played with suitable honesty and seemingly limitless transparency by Tuuli Narkle is a pleasure to watch.
This leading actor a dynamic mouthpiece for the history and issues, is supported solidly from a versatile ensemble. They switch characters with rapid fire accuracy, as a multifaceted portrait of this sports heroine and a fledgling Australia is painted in the clay of the hectic court.
An impressive layer to this show’s textural intensity is its effective inclusion of solo or group movement. Balletic choreography from movement directors Vicki Van Hout and Katina Olsen enhances the romantic, otherworldy nature of the piece to resonate as if in enlightening slow-motion replay.
Feelings of aching youthful ambition, aptitude and enthusiasm for the prodigy’s sport are hypnotically suggested through such interludes in the dialogue.
Against rapid fire, fierce-as-training patternic movements, such as the motif of shouting ‘forehand- forehand-backhand’ movements, key themes and issues quickly presented are tossed around this court.
Above: Actor Tuuli Narkle gave an energetic and engaging portrayal of the young and adult tennis star Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
Evonne’s Aboriginality and close family were qualities presented with strength and engaging accurate dialogue. There were clear references to both the beginning of positive political change and problematic parts of history in this regard.
Issues such as fringe communities, land rights, human rights, stolen generation and blatant racism on and off the court were covered with jarring clarity.
The storyline of an Australia which was young in the eyes of the world but joining in via the victories of tennis greats was also interestingly traced in parallel to Evonne’s discovery of the world.
Themes of the female sportsperson juggling a family, dealing with sexism and even sexual abuse were added in broad brave strokes. There was often a jarring but effective jolt received here as the script and storytelling continued with admirable momentum.
A talented and physically fit ensemble cast – Luke Carroll, Jax Compton, Katina Olsen and Kyle Shilling moved across court with ease of characterisation. They portrayed family members, foreigners, sporting opponents, tennis officials, media and coaching families. They quickly captured the various expressions and attitudes in quick-change and illuminating vignettes.
Lyrical poetry and smooth, sensuous timing is a feature of Andrea James’ script. In often the briefest of moments, concepts such as home, loneliness, family, fierce pride in background and harnessing ambition were expressed with impressive strings of words, delivered with great subtlety of inflection by the capable cast.
Such a master stroke was the comparison of the strings of a racquet to greater ties that bind. The backdrop for this discussion was a flooding of the left half of the court floor with a coil of string, perhaps some weaving, which became a mat for women’s dance moves of expansive gestural strength.
There is not one second of ingenuine or pedestrian storytelling in this scintillating offering. Sobering comment is matched by richness of imagery in a moving tribute to this delightful tennis great. The celebration unfolds at a cracking pace as it paints a portrait of this super girl’s pure joy and achievement.
Sunshine Super Girl will continue to score memorable points at Sydney Town Hall until Sunday Jan 17