It’s great to see a young Australian playwright taking risks! Tony McNamara extends well out of his comfort zone with his new play, ‘The Great’. ‘The Great’ is an imaginative take on the life and times of the notorious Russian empress,Catherine the Great’. The play is currently playing a season at the Wharf 1 Theatre as part of this years’ Sydney Theatre Company’s subscription series.

Till now, McNamara’s plays, which includes six Sydney Theatre Company premiere productions, have been set in the present time, and have featured a witty, satirical style. With ‘The Great’, McNamara has chosen to write a historical, period piece. His plays have always featured a central male character. With ‘The Great’ he features the feisty Russian empress, Catherine.

The portrait that McNamara draws of Catherine is of a tough, passionate woman who was a shrewd operator on both public and private levels. This is demonstrated by the way she manages to remove her mad Emperor husband, and later down the track survive an ambitious coup attempt by her ‘airhead’ son Didi.

Peter Evans production for the STC is entertaining and vibrant. Two fine actresses shine in the lead role; Robyn McLeavy played the young, even at times innocent amd fragile Catherine whilst Liz Alexander played the older tougher, much more pragmatic Catherine. Toby Schmitz was the pick of the supporting cast, as the disturbed Didi.

‘The Great’s’ creative team impressed with a good, compact set put together by Fiona Crombie, fine constumes designed by Tess Schofield, and an affecting score by Alllan John.