FALLOUT, the first full length play by Lauren Pearce, examines a number of subjects around the end of civilisation brought on by profit-motivated callousness, corporate negligence and governmental complacency. The writer examines how the characters face the certainty of death as they wait for the hideous consequences of radiation sickness to overtake them.
In the wake of an unexpected nuclear holocaust, three people struggle with each other and the ghosts of their past and a fun loving radio DJ wrestles with the terrible duty of broadcasting to a lifeless world. All of them are slowly dying and all will be party to a terrible revelation.
Uniformly strong acting brought together by direction from Finn Davis engrosses the audience from start to finish. Good use is made of the space with an effective set by Hannah Cox as one section represents the studio of a community radio and the rest of the stage depicts a designated ‘panic room’.
Michele Conyngham powerfully portrays the cynical and hard-hearted businesswoman Samantha Radford who is trapped in the panic room of her opulent house with two people she has never bothered to consider. There is her housekeeper Ann, portrayed with compassion by Moreblessing Maturure and her pool boy, Stephan played by Jim Fishwick, who effectively demonstrates the horror of physical effects of the blast.
On the other side of the city, Louise Harding plays the ever bubbly DJ who sits down and broadcast to the void, unsure if anyone is listening.
As the characters grapple with the terrible questions that have arisen as a result of their impending demise, people from their past come into their minds. Ian Ferrington shows great empathy as Michael, Stephan’s former boyfriend and Patrick Trumper is a good contrast as the former husband of Samantha.
The atmosphere & ideological discussions are greatly enhanced by the use of historical video footage and the light and sound effects. Chrys Chandra (lighting design), Bryce Halliday (sound design), Joel Hillman (lighting operation), Angela Toomey (audio visual operation), Yunyin Xuan (graphic design) and Jennifer Poon (photography) all bring their work solidly together.
As the writer states “How does one live once they have accepted that they are doomed to die? I don’t have an answer to that question and neither does Fallout. Hopefully you do.”
This well constructed play produced by Lucinda Vitek and Eunice Huang gives the audience the chance to consider this and other questions of moral responsibility.
FALLOUT, a production of Smoking Gum Theatre, plays at The Exchange Hotel, Beattie Street, Balmain, till March 27.
For more about Fallout, visit http://www.smokinggumtheatre.com