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Crying Chair Theatre Company (CCTC), comprising just two thespians, Mel Day and Emma Dalton, has a reputation for producing challenging, thought provoking work.
CCTC’s first production for 2023 is a two hander, a little known play, THE WASP by British playwright, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, which was first produced in London in January 2015. They have chosen well.
The situation is, two women in their early thirties, Heather and Carla, meet in the courtyard of a cafe, the first time for twenty years, since they were at school together.
Carla arrives first, pregnant, dressed in tracksuit bottoms and with slicked back hair, there’s a knockabout, rough feel to her. She is nervously fiddling with her mobile.
Heather arrives. She is dressed up to date, neat, simple, more expensive than High street.
It comes out that Heather has organised their meeting. it comes out that their lives have taken very different paths. Carla has a large family, is pregnant again, and lives a hand to mouth existence. Heather has a high flying career, a husband and a beautiful home.
Their conversation is awkward. As we listen in, there seems to be much more friction and terseness between them than friendship. Carla is impatient, wanting to leave, when Heather makes her a proposition. If she gets something ‘done’, Heather will give her a windfall of money, that will keep her off struggle street for a while. Carla has to decide if she will run the risk.
THE WASP is heightened drama. By this I mean that on face level some of what happens isn’t exactly credible. But we, the audience, just have to run with it, because it raises the stakes enormously, leaving way for a gut wrenching climax. If one lives in the past, if one doesn’t lift oneself out of it, no matter how distressing and unresolved it is, one is condemned by it.
Richard Cotter’s production for Crying Chair never lets the tension drop between these two very peculiar characters. The set is minimal with just the minimum props. The only, very symbolic, stand out was a framed Tarantula Hawk Wasp collection on a main well in Heather’s apartment.
Veteran lighting designed Michael Schell lit the stage impeccably.
The performances by the two actors were outstanding. Mel Day was compelling as the wiry, nervy, sharp as a tack, on the edge Heather. It was a finely detailed, very physical performance.
Emma Dalton was equally compelling as the harsh, unyielding, implacable, hard hearted, cold fish Carla.
Both actors stayed focused, for the entirety of their performances, playing two very tetchy, idiosyncratic characters. One could tell how much it took out of them when they took the audience’s well deserved applause.
THE WASP is running for just this week at the Flightpath Theatre. Performances are Wednesday 29 March from 7pm to 8:45pm, Thursday 30 March from 7pm to 8:45pm, Friday 31 March from 7pm to 8:45pm and Saturday 1 April from 7pm to 8:45pm.
Flightpath Theatre is located at142 Addison Road, Marrickville, within the Addison Road Community Centre.
Production photography by Eloise Martin-Jones
For more show information please click on the below links
https://www.flightpaththeatre.org/whats-on/the-wasp
https://cryingchairtheatre.com.au/home