At the heart of this classic Michael Gow play AWAY sit the stories of three troubled, vulnerable wives/mothers.

Natasha Herbert plays Coral. Coral, along with her husband Roy, tragically lost their son in the Vietnam war. (The play is set in Australia in 1968). Since the loss, she has slid deeply into depression, which has put great pressure on her marriage to school headmaster, Roy.

Coral is an eerie, dark role. I have seen the part over-played in productions; Herbert’s performance is measured and well conveyed.As Roy, Glenn Hazeldine has a much lighter, comic role which he plays to perfection. His portrayal of the prissy, nervy, rather grating character is lovely.

Julia Davis sensitively plays Vic, a middle-aged Englishwoman who has recently immigrated to Australia. She was recently told that her son Tom has terminal cancer and has taken the news badly. She hasn’t quite gone off the rails like Coral and is coping the best way that she can with her good natured husband, Jim, well played by Marco Chappi.

Liam Nunan is a revelation in the pivotal role of Tom, whose positive approach to life in spite of his diagnosis inspires everyone.

Heather Mitchell is a stand-out as the very dour Gwen who has an uncompromising, serious approach to life,following a tough upbringing, and expects her family to follow suit.

Her husband Harry, played by Wadih Dona, is the placid, stoic type, unprepared to stand up to her. Not so their daughter Meg, well played by Naomi Rukavina, who is now a feisty adolescent and is tired of her mother’s stony face and humorlessness.

All three families do get away for their separate summer holidays; the play begins with school breaking up for the year, after the performance of the school play. Rather than getting away from it all, each family comes face to face with their woes.

Malthouse Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Lutton’s production is true to the text whilst being conceptual in style, with its use of striking sets, masks and costumes by Dale Ferguson, equally effective lighting by Paul Jackson,and sharp, dissonant music by J.David Franzke. Lutton’s direction makes the most of the play’s lighter moments, so important in what is, in many ways, a confronting play.

Recommended, the current revival of Michael Gow’s AWAY is playing at the Drama Theatre, the Sydney Opera House until the 25th March.

Featured image – Naomi Rukavina as Meg and Heather Mitchell as Gwen. Pic Prudence Upton.

https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2017/away/