IT’S BEEN A WHILE is the latest production from Smoking Gum Theatre (producer Eunice Huang) and the first full length play, running at about an hour, by Jordy Shea.
Five friends take a holiday to Kiama to celebrate new beginnings and finishing high school. Tragedy strikes the group when one of them is found dead after a night of heavy partying & the group must deal with painful memories as they look into that fateful night seven years later. It is a play about friendship, loyalty, guilt and trying to make sense of the past.
Directed by Lucinda Vitek with lighting by Chrys Chandra and sound design by Olga Solar, the plot is gradually revealed in a series short scenes and flashbacks. The audience is kept guessing as to the whole truth right up until the end.
Time frames and locations are clearly denoted by slight changes in clothing, sound effects, lighting and set.
Stephen Bracken as Dean is the semi-outcast searching for identity with Chris Circosta playing Nick, apparently initially sure of himself, but also searching for a secure sense of self.
Luke Holmes portrays Tom finally caught up in dealing with aspects of his past that have been covered up for too long.
Zara Stanton as Maddy and Kathryn Wenborn as Josie are the girlfriends who must also come to terms with the secrets of the past so that they can then confidently face each other, the boys and their future.
IT’S BEEN A WHILE is playing the King Street Theatre, Newtown until Saturday 19th July.
Producer: Eunice Huang
Graphic designer & photographer: Anthony McMenamin