Hannie Rayson’s ‘Two Brothers’ is currently playing the Drama Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. ‘Two Brothers ‘is the story of high profile siblings who find themselves on different sides of the political fence. James ‘Eggs’ Benedict (Gary McDonald) is a pillar of the establishment and the Minister of Homse Security in a conservativer Government, a savvy politician who has his eye on the top job. He is intent on keeping boat people from the Middle East out of Australia. His brother, Tom (Nicholas Eadie) is a left wing community lawyer and CEO of a prominent charity organisation. He represents one of the Iraqi survivors of a boat that sinks in the Indian Ocean where hundreds of asylum seekers drown.The two brothers are thrown into conflict, will blood turn out to be bigger than poltics?

‘Two Brothers’ isn’t difficult to place. This is full on political theatre with Raison targeting major social and political issues and some of the decisions of our leading politicians. Adding fuel to the fire the playwrights adds a weighty family drama to it. How well did it work?! It was confronting piece of theatre- guaranteed to get strong audience reaction- of whatever description.

The joint Sydney and Melbourne Theatre Company production did Raison’s in one’s face script justice. Simon Phillips’s (MTC Artistic Director) direction is good. Stephen Curtis’s stylish, revolve set makes so much action possible. What a cast to deliver some of Rayson’s biting social observations. Gary McDonald gives one of his finest performances as Eggs Benedict, a man drawn by his ambition but not without sympathy. Nicholas Eadie as the counterpoint, heart on sleeve brother Tom, matched his performance. My pick of the support cast- Caroline Brazier as Eggs’s ruthless personal assistant Jamie Savage, and two young performers, Ben Lawson and Hamish Michael as the Benedict’s brothers’ offspring.