Johnny Nasser and Shannen Alyce Quan in Sydney Theatre Company and State
Theatre Company South Australia’s The Dictionary of Lost Words 2025. Pic Prudence
Upton
Johnny Nasser and Shannon Alyce Quan in Sydney Theatre Company and State Theatre Company of South Australia ‘s THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS. Pic Prudence Upton
Shannen Alyce Quan in Sydney Theatre Company and State Theatre Company South
Australia’s The Dictionary of Lost Words 2025. Photo: Prudence Upton ©
Brian Meegan in Sydney Theatre Company and State Theatre Company South
Australia’s The Dictionary of Lost Words 2025. Photo: Prudence Upton ©
The show has an intriguing storyline to connect with. It follows Esme’s journey from being a young girl who lies underneath the main desk at the Scriptorium where her father, a lexicographer, is working on putting together the first Oxford English Dictionary.
As they work their slow, stolid, dogged way through the alphabet, Esme starts collecting scraps of paper with words that they have rejected. She continues this practice as she grows in to womanhood. Lizzie who has babysat her from infancy gives her a lovely old suitcase in which Esme puts all the lost words. Esme notices that there is a pattern in the words that are dismissed; they are mostly words that are colloquial, slang words, and are words that women primarily use. What is Esme going to do with this discovery?!
Williams’ world is replete with colourful characters.
Shannon Elyse Quan was superb as Esme, and richly deserved the bow that she took in front of her other cast members who joined in the applause.
My other favourite performances were by Brian Meegan, a regular performer at the Ensemble theatre, who was unnoticeable as Sir James Murray, the head lexicographer, Johnny Nasser as Esme’s conservative, very loving father, Harry Nicoll, Kathryn Adams is excellent as Lizzie, Esme’s very caring mother figure, (Esme’s mother died giving birth to her).
Kseenja Logos is good as Esme’s very arch, stiff, proper godmother who is also protective of her, Angela Nica is excellent as Tilda who is like a big sister to her and educates her in the ways of the world, and Arkia Ashraf as Gareth, a gentle, shy man, a printer at the printing factory that print the dictionary, and with whom Esme has a romantic entanglement with.
The stage world is elegantly presented by director Jessica Arthur and her design team – Jonathon Oxlade’s two levels set with great use of audio visuals works , Alisa Paterson’s lush period costumes, Trent Suidgest’s lighting, and veteran designer Max Lyandvert’s finely detailed and effective score — make it so easy to engage and stay with this sumptuous experience.
A joint Sydney Theatre Company and State Theatre Company production, Pip Williams novel THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS, as adapted by Verity Laughton, is playing the Roslyn Packer Theatre until the 21st March 2025.
http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au
