New Directions Play 1: ‘Crooked’

Lib Campbell and Sarah Blackstone in ‘Crooked’. Pic Bob Seary

Newtown’s New Theatre started its annual New Directions program on the front foot with its production of ‘Crooked’, a meaty play by young American playwright Catherine Trieschmann.

In ‘Crooked’, Trieschmann captures her main character, fourteen years old Laney in the full throes of a particularly challenging adolescence. Her mum and her return to their hometown in Oxford, Mississippi after her mum has just gone through a difficult divorce. She contends with a niggly relationship with her mum, a difficult time adjusting to her new high school, and her own fertile imagination. Laney carries with her a determination that she will become a great writer.

Life appears to take a brighter turn for Laney when she makes a new school friend, Maribel, a warm hearted, deeply religious girl, a few years older than her. Their friendship, however, only ends up raising further issues when in one tumultuous day, at Maribel’s church, Laney not only finds God but kisses Maribel smack on the mouth!

There are other themes, issues around mental health, the use of religion as a form of escapism, however; above all, ‘Crooked’ is a very wry and astute portrait of adolescence.

In one wonderful scene Laney announces to her bemused mother Elise that, after her epiphany with Maribel, she is now not only saved but realises that she is gay. Laney declares that she has found herself as a ‘holiness lesbian’ and announces that she plans to write her memoirs so that, ‘other 14 year old holiness lesbians will read them and will no longer feel alone’. She tells off her mother for not being prepared to support her lifestyle decision!

Towards the play’s end things do unravel quite badly for Laney, but she is always engaging. Lib Campbell, perhaps best known for being the co-host of Channel Nine’s afternoon kids show ‘The Shak’, is terrific as Laney in what, by any terms, is an awesome role. Sarah Blackstone gives a good performance as her freaky friend Maribel who stridently believes that she has invisible stigmata. Elly Goodman does well in the, comparatively speaking, bland role of an average sort of mum, faced with multiple stresses.

Adam Chantler’s set divides the action into three distinct areas. Stage left, marked by a balustrade, is the entrance to the family home, centre stage is the family’s living room, and stage right, is the school playground area.

Nastassja Djalog’s production of Catherine Trieschmann’s ‘Crooked’ played the New Theatre, 413 King Street Newtown between the 14th to the 17th July,2010