Here’s a bit of knowledge. This is the definition of Career.
Noun: An occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress.
Verb: Move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way in a specified direction.
In John Donnelly’s brilliantly crafted play THE KNOWLEDGE, both noun and verb converge, collide and combust as newbie teacher Zoe’s nascent career careens from bright to blighted as she strives for control of a classroom of kids whose parents have abrogated their responsibility in discipline and civility.
There’s Mickey, a lad with a chip the size of a boulder on his shoulder, presumably a chip off the old block, an old block whose mere mention reveals a chink in the boy’s emotional armour. He has a preoccupation with anal sex, thinks that Daniel, the other boy in the class, is gay, and is convinced that all girls are slags.
Female classmate, Karris, does nothing to dispel this opinion, flagrantly flaunting her perceived promiscuity, firm in the knowledge of her attraction to males, either students or teachers.
Daniel, like Mickey, has daddy issues, but is more intellectual than instinctual, and Sal, while more passive than Karris, knows a thing or two about pushing buttons and the duplicity of adults.
These four pupils of the apocalypse are played with such vigour, vim and vitality by Benjamin Ross, Karli-Rae Grogan, John Benda, and Isaro Kayitesi that the stage is virtually ablaze with energy for the duration of its two hours plus run (including interval).
These are not angels, nor are their teachers. The playwright demonises neither. Inappropriate behaviour is expressed and observed by all. The school principal, Harry, a warrior educator whose 35 year service has whittled away much of his idealism, muses on the vain hope of getting his students a job on the counter at Boots when earlier dreams saw him getting bright sixth formers into Oxbridge.
He and his colleagues face the harsh reality of giving their students skills they don’t need for jobs that don’t exist.
Knowledge is power but power can corrupt. And a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Knowledge, power, corruption and danger and a savvy, snappy safety valve of humour permeate this play.
In the centre of this galaxy of swirling satellites and colliding worlds is a stellar turn by Silvina D’Alessandro as Zoe whose journey is exquisitely etched both psychologically and physically.
As Zoe’s Don Juan colleague, Maz, Brett Rogers exudes the love ’em and leave ’em Lothario ethic, and, as her headmaster, Harry, Barry French succeeds in semaphoring a genuine concern concealed beneath the cynicism of the system.
Rebecca Martin directs with an emphatic economy, a whip-cracking pace, and a grand grasp of both script and space.
Antoinette Barbouttis’ set and costume design is not only evocative of classroom and playground but serves the actors and action in a practical manner.
John Donnelly’s excellent play THE KNOWLEDGE is given exuberant execution by Pants Guys Productions in this year’s final instalment of The Spare Room program at New Theatre. It warrants your attendance.
THE KNOWLEDGE opened at the New Theatre, 542 King Street Newtown on Friday 12th October and runs until Saturday 3rd November, 2012.
© Richard Cotter
15th October, 2012
Tags: Sydney Theatre Reviews- THE KNOWLEDGE, New Theatre Newtown, The Spare Room, Sydney Arts Guide, Richard Cotter